Coding, promoter and regulator sequences of IRF-1

ABSTRACT

A recombinant DNA molecule coding for a protein having the activity of an interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1).

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/087,465, filed Jul. 8, 1993, abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/397,967, filed Aug. 24, 1989, abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the regulation of gene expression. In particular the invention relates to a recombinant DNA molecule coding for a protein having the activity of an interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1); to recombinant DNA molecules characterized by a DNA sequence coding for an IRF-1 active protein and a promoter and regulator sequence operably linked thereto; to the use of such DNA molecules for transforming host cells which are also transformed by DNA molecules coding for a desired protein and under the control of said IRF-1 active protein; to such DNA molecules including a sequence coding for a pharmaceutically active protein and a promoter region of the gene for said protein including a binding site for the IRF-1 active molecule; and to the production of said IRF-1 active protein and/or said pharmaceutically active protein by cultivation of suitable host cells transformed by said DNA molecules.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Transcription of genes in mammalian cells is regulated by complex mechanisms wherein interactions of the regulatory DNA sequences with trans-acting DNA binding proteins play a central role. In the context of the regulation of transcription, genes encoding interferons (IFNs) represent a feature common to many of the cytokine genes; transcription of those genes is induced in a transient manner following various extra-cellular signals. It has been well documented that transcription of the genes for IFN-α and IFN-β is efficiently induced by viruses in a variety of cells, while that of the gene encoding IFN-γ is induced in T lymphocytes (T cells) following mitogenic stimulation (for a review, see Weissmann and Weber, 1986; Taniguchi, 1988).

IFN-β, a cytokine that was originally identified for its potent antiviral activity, also appears to play a crucial role in controlling cell growth and differentiation. In this regard, beside viruses and poly(rI):poly(rC) which are the well known inducers of IFN-β gene, many of the cytokines such as colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) (Moore et al., 1984; Warren and Ralf, 1986; Resnitzky et al., 1986), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (Onozaki et al., 1988), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) (Zullo et al., 1985) and IFNs (Kohase et al., 1987) also appear to induce IFN-β in certain cells, suggesting that they may transduce similar or identical signals in the target cells.

The IFN-β gene induction by viruses and poly(rI):poly(rC) has been shown to occur at the transcriptional level (Raj and Pitha, 1983; Ohno and Taniguchi, 1983; Dinter et al., 1983; Zinn et al., 1983). Thus cis-acting DNA sequences functioning as inducible enhancers have been identified within the 5'-flanking region of the human IFN-β gene (Fujita et al., 1985, 1987; Goodbourn et al., 1985; Dinter and Hauser, 1987). The inducible enhancer region (i.e. -65 to -105 with respect to the CAP site) contains repetitive hexanucleotide units some of which indeed function in the induced-activation of transcription when multimerized (Fujita et al., 1987). We have identified in mammalian cells such as mouse L929 cells and human cells, a factor, IRF-1, which specifically binds to the IFN-β regulatory sequences, as well as to the functional, repeated hexanucleotide sequences; (AAGTGA)₄. We have found that IRF-1 plays an essential role in virus-induced activation of IFN-β gene transcription by interacting with the identified cis-elements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a broad aspect of this invention we provide a recombinant DNA molecule coding for a protein having the activity of an interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1).

Preferably the DNA molecule codes for or is hybridizable to the DNA molecule coding for human IRF-1 or mouse (murine) ZRF-1.

The DNA molecule is preferably one which codes for a protein which binds to the repeated oligomer sequence AAGTGA and the regulatory upstream elements of the human IFN-β-gene.

The DNA molecule may include a promoter region which is constitutive or inducible, for instance virus inducible, e.g. by Newcastle Disease Virus, or is inducible by mitogenic stimulation, e.g., using Concanavalin A.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1: Gel Retardation Assay.

FIG. 2: DNAase Footprinting Analysis. The sequence on the left side of FIG. 2 is part of a DNA sequence of the wild type IFN-β probe. The DNA sequence on the right side of FIG. 2 is part of the DNA sequence of the mutant IFN-β probe.

FIG. 3: DNA Competition Assay: the left hand panel shows the results obtained when the hexamers were used as competitor; the middle panel gives the results when human IFN gene segments were used as competitors; the right hand panel gives the results when the various DNA segments as indicated within the panel were used.

FIG. 4: (4A) The DNA and deduced protein sequence of the cDNA insert of pIRF-L; (4B) Hydropathy plot analysis.

FIG. 5: Comparison of the deduced animo acid sequences of murine and human IRF-1. The conserved amino acids are marked by asterisks. The sequences are presented with the one letter amino acid code as follows: A, alanine; C, cysteine; D, aspartic acid; E, glutamic acid; F, phenylalanine; G, glycine; H, histidine; I, isoleucine; K, lysine; L, leucine; M, methionine; N, asparagine; P, proline; Q, glutamine; R, arginine; S, serine; T, threonine; V, valine; W, tryptophan; and Y, tyrosine.

FIG. 6: Expression of IRF-1 MRNA: (6A) Analysis of different tissues; (6B) Analysis as a function of time with IRF-1, IFN-β, and β-actin.

FIG. 7: (7A) Nucleotide sequence of the PstI fragment from λg14-2 which contains the mouse IRF-1 promoter sequence; (7B) Relative CAT activity.

FIG. 8: Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of the human IRF-1 gene.

FIG. 9: Identification of DNA sequences present in yeast that cross-hybridize with human IRF-1 cDNA.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One preferred DNA molecule (coding for human IRF-1) is characterised by a structural gene having the formula I below:

    __________________________________________________________________________     Formula I                                                                      __________________________________________________________________________      ##STR1##                                                                       ##STR2##                                                                       ##STR3##                                                                       ##STR4##                                                                       ##STR5##                                                                       ##STR6##                                                                       ##STR7##                                                                       ##STR8##                                                                       ##STR9##                                                                       ##STR10##                                                                      ##STR11##                                                                      ##STR12##                                                                      ##STR13##                                                                      ##STR14##                                                                      ##STR15##                                                                      ##STR16##                                                                      ##STR17##                                                                      ##STR18##                                                                      ##STR19##                                                                      ##STR20##                                                                     __________________________________________________________________________

or a degenerate variant of formula I.

The DNA molecule may, for example, be characterized by a structural gene having the formula defined above, and upstream and downstream flanking sequences contained within the following formula II:

    __________________________________________________________________________     Formula II                                                                     __________________________________________________________________________     CGAGCCCCGCCGAACCGAGGCCACCCGGAGCCGTGCCCAGTCCACGC                                CGGCCGTGCCCGGCGGCCTTAAGAACCAGGCAACCACTGCCTTCTTCCCT                             CTTCCACTCGGAGTCGCGCTTCGCGCGCCCTCACTGCAGCCCCTGCGTCG                             CCGGGACCCTCGCGCGCGACCAGCCGAATCGCTCCTGCAGCAGAGCCAAC                              ##STR21##                                                                      ##STR22##                                                                      ##STR23##                                                                      ##STR24##                                                                      ##STR25##                                                                      ##STR26##                                                                      ##STR27##                                                                      ##STR28##                                                                      ##STR29##                                                                      ##STR30##                                                                      ##STR31##                                                                      ##STR32##                                                                      ##STR33##                                                                      ##STR34##                                                                      ##STR35##                                                                      ##STR36##                                                                      ##STR37##                                                                      ##STR38##                                                                      ##STR39##                                                                      ##STR40##                                                                     TTCCTCTAGGCAAGCAGGACCTGGCATCATGGTGGATATGGTGCAGAGAA                             GCTGGACTTCTGTGGGCCCCTCAACAGCCAAGTGTGACCCCACTGCCAAG                             TGGGGATGGGCCTCCCTCCTTGGGTCATTGACCTCTCAGGGCCTGGCAGG                             CCAGTGTCTGGGTTTTTCTTGTGGTGTAAAGCTGGCCCTGCCTCCTGGGA                             AGATGAGGTTCTGAGACCAGTGTATCAGGTCAGGGACTTGGACAGGAGTC                             AGTGTCTGGCTTTTTCCTCTGAGCCCAGCTGCCTGGAGAGGGTCTCGCTG                             TCACTGGCTGGCTCCTAGGGGAACAGACCAGTGACCCCAGAAAAGCATAA                             CACCAATCCCAGGGCTGGCTCTGCACTAAGAGAAAATTGCACTAAATGAA                             TCTCGTTCCAAAGAACTACCCCTTTTCAGCTGAGCCCTGGGGACTGTTCC                             AAAGCCAGTGAATGTGAAGGAAAGTGGGGTCCTTCGGGGCAATGCTCCCT                             CAGCCTCAGAGGAGCTCTACCCTGCTCCCTGCTTTGGCTGAGGGGCTTGG                             GAAAAAAACTTGGCACTTTTTCGTGTGGATCTTGCCACATTTCTGATCAG                             AGGTGTACACTAACATTTCCCCCGAGCTCTTGGCCTTTGCATTTATTTAT                             ACAGTGCCTTGCTCGGGGCCCACCACCCCCTCAAGCCCCAGCAGCCCTCA                             ACAGGCCCAGGGAGGGAAGTGTGAGCGCCTTGGTATGACTTAAAATTGGA                             AATGTCATCTAACCATTAAGTCATGTGTGAACACATAAGGACGTGTGTAA                             ATATGTACATTTGTCTTTTTATAAAAAGTAAAATTGTT                                         __________________________________________________________________________

or a degenerate variant of formula II.

Another preferred DNA molecule (coding for murine IRF-1) is characterized by a structural gene having the following formula III:

    __________________________________________________________________________     Formula III                                                                    __________________________________________________________________________     ATG                                                                               CCA                                                                               ATC                                                                               ACT                                                                               CGA                                                                               ATG                                                                               CGG                                                                               ATG                                                                               AGA                                                                               CCC                                                                               TGG                                                                               CTA                                                                               GAG                                                                               ATG                                                                               CAG ATT                              AAT                                                                               TCC                                                                               AAC                                                                               CAA                                                                               ATC                                                                               CCA                                                                               GGG                                                                               CTG                                                                               ATC                                                                               TGG                                                                               ATC                                                                               AAT                                                                               AAA                                                                               GAA                                                                               GAG ATG                              ATC                                                                               TTC                                                                               CAG                                                                               ATT                                                                               CCA                                                                               TGG                                                                               AAG                                                                               CAC                                                                               GCT                                                                               GCT                                                                               AAG                                                                               CAC                                                                               GGC                                                                               TGG                                                                               GAC ATC                              AAC                                                                               AAG                                                                               GAT                                                                               GCC                                                                               TGT                                                                               CTG                                                                               TTC                                                                               CGG                                                                               AGC                                                                               TGG                                                                               GCC                                                                               ATT                                                                               CAC                                                                               ACA                                                                               GGC CGA                              TAC                                                                               AAA                                                                               GCA                                                                               GGA                                                                               GAA                                                                               AAA                                                                               GAG                                                                               CCA                                                                               GAT                                                                               CCC                                                                               AAG                                                                               ACA                                                                               TGG                                                                               AAG                                                                               GCA AAC                              TTC                                                                               CGT                                                                               TGT                                                                               GCC                                                                               ATG                                                                               AAC                                                                               TCC                                                                               CTG                                                                               CCA                                                                               GAC                                                                               ATC                                                                               GAG                                                                               GAA                                                                               GTG                                                                               AAG GAT                              CAG                                                                               AGT                                                                               AGG                                                                               AAC                                                                               AAG                                                                               GGC                                                                               AGC                                                                               TCT                                                                               GCT                                                                               GTG                                                                               CGG                                                                               GTG                                                                               TAC                                                                               CGG                                                                               AVG CTG                              CCA                                                                               CCC                                                                               CTC                                                                               ACC                                                                               AGG                                                                               AAC                                                                               CAG                                                                               AGG                                                                               AAA                                                                               GAG                                                                               AGA                                                                               AAG                                                                               TCC                                                                               AAG                                                                               TCC AGC                              CGA                                                                               GAC                                                                               ACT                                                                               AAG                                                                               AGC                                                                               AAA                                                                               ACC                                                                               AAG                                                                               AGG                                                                               AAG                                                                               CTG                                                                               TGT                                                                               GGA                                                                               GAT                                                                               GTT AGC                              CCG                                                                               GAC                                                                               ACT                                                                               TTC                                                                               TCT                                                                               GAT                                                                               GGA                                                                               CTC                                                                               AGC                                                                               AGC                                                                               TCT                                                                               ACC                                                                               CTA                                                                               CCT                                                                               GAT GAC                              CAC                                                                               AGC                                                                               AGT                                                                               TAC                                                                               ACC                                                                               ACT                                                                               CAG                                                                               GGC                                                                               TAC                                                                               CTG                                                                               GGT                                                                               CAG                                                                               GAC                                                                               TTG                                                                               GAT ATG                              GAA                                                                               AGG                                                                               GAC                                                                               ATA                                                                               ACT                                                                               CCA                                                                               GCA                                                                               CTG                                                                               TCA                                                                               CCG                                                                               TGT                                                                               GTC                                                                               GTC                                                                               AGC                                                                               AGC AGT                              CTC                                                                               TCT                                                                               GAG                                                                               TGG                                                                               CAT                                                                               ATG                                                                               CAG                                                                               ATG                                                                               GAC                                                                               ATT                                                                               ATA                                                                               CCA                                                                               GAT                                                                               AGC                                                                               ACC ACT                              GAT                                                                               CTG                                                                               TAT                                                                               AAC                                                                               CTA                                                                               CAG                                                                               GTG                                                                               TCA                                                                               CCC                                                                               ATG                                                                               CCT                                                                               TCC                                                                               ACC                                                                               TCC                                                                               GAA GCC                              GCA                                                                               ACA                                                                               GAC                                                                               GAG                                                                               GAT                                                                               GAG                                                                               GAA                                                                               GGG                                                                               AAG                                                                               ATA                                                                               GCC                                                                               GAA                                                                               GAC                                                                               CTT                                                                               ATG AAG                              CTC                                                                               TTT                                                                               GAA                                                                               CAG                                                                               TCT                                                                               GAG                                                                               TGG                                                                               CAG                                                                               CCG                                                                               ACA                                                                               CAC                                                                               ATC                                                                               GAT                                                                               GGC                                                                               AAG GGA                              TAC                                                                               TTG                                                                               CTC                                                                               AAT                                                                               GAG                                                                               CCA                                                                               GGG                                                                               ACC                                                                               CAG                                                                               CTC                                                                               TCT                                                                               TCT                                                                               GTC                                                                               TAT                                                                               GGA GAC                              TTC                                                                               AGC                                                                               TGC                                                                               AAA                                                                               GAG                                                                               GAA                                                                               CCA                                                                               GAG                                                                               ATT                                                                               GAC                                                                               AGC                                                                               CCT                                                                               CGA                                                                               GGG                                                                               GAC ATT                              GGG                                                                               ATA                                                                               GGC                                                                               ATA                                                                               CAA                                                                               CAT                                                                               GTC                                                                               TTC                                                                               ACG                                                                               GAG                                                                               ATG                                                                               AAG                                                                               AAT                                                                               ATG                                                                               GAC TCC                              ATC                                                                               ATG                                                                               TGG                                                                               ATG                                                                               GAC                                                                               AGC                                                                               CTG                                                                               CTG                                                                               GGC                                                                               AAC                                                                               TCT                                                                               GTG                                                                               AGG                                                                               CTG                                                                               CCG CCC                              TCT                                                                               ATT                                                                               CAG                                                                               GCC                                                                               ATT                                                                               CCT                                                                               TGT                                                                               GCA                                                                               CCA                                                                               TAG                                                 __________________________________________________________________________

or a degenerate variant of formula III.

Such a DNA molecule as mentioned in the foregoing paragraph may, for example, be characterized by a structural gene having the formula defined above, and upstream and downstream flanking sequences contained within the following formula IV:

    __________________________________________________________________________     Formula IV                                                                     __________________________________________________________________________     1  GGACGTGCTTTCACAGTCTAAGCCGAACCGAACCGAACCGAACCGAACCGAACCGGGCC                 60 GAGTTGCGCCGAGGTCAGCCGAGGTGGCCAGAGGACCCCAGCATCTCGGGCATCTTTCG                 119                                                                               CTTCGTGCGCGCATCGCGTACCTACACCGCAACTCCGTGCCTCGCTCTCCGGCACCCTC                 178                                                                               TGCGAATCGCTCCTGCAGCAAAGCCACCATGCCAATCACTCGAATGCGG                           227                                                                               ATG                                                                               AGA                                                                               CCC                                                                               TGG                                                                               CTA                                                                               GAG                                                                               ATG                                                                               CAG                                                                               ATT                                                                               AAT                                                                               TCC                                                                               AAC                                                                               CAA                                                                               ATC                                                                               CCA                               272                                                                               GGG                                                                               CTG                                                                               ATC                                                                               TGG                                                                               ATC                                                                               AAT                                                                               AAA                                                                               GAA                                                                               GAG                                                                               A-IG                                                                              ATC                                                                               TTC                                                                               CAG                                                                               ATT                                                                               CCA                               317                                                                               TGG                                                                               AAG                                                                               CAC                                                                               GCT                                                                               GCT                                                                               AAG                                                                               CAC                                                                               GGC                                                                               TGG                                                                               GAC                                                                               ATC                                                                               AAC                                                                               AAG                                                                               GAT                                                                               GCC                               362                                                                               TGT                                                                               CTG                                                                               TTC                                                                               CGG                                                                               AGC                                                                               TGG                                                                               GCC                                                                               ATT                                                                               CAC                                                                               ACA                                                                               GGC                                                                               CGA                                                                               TAC                                                                               AAA                                                                               GCA                               407                                                                               GGA                                                                               GAA                                                                               AAA                                                                               GAG                                                                               CCA                                                                               GAT                                                                               CCC                                                                               AAG                                                                               ACA                                                                               TGG                                                                               AAG                                                                               GCA                                                                               AAC                                                                               TTC                                                                               CGT                               452                                                                               TGT                                                                               GCC                                                                               ATG                                                                               AAC                                                                               TCC                                                                               CTG                                                                               CCA                                                                               GAC                                                                               ATC                                                                               GAG                                                                               GAA                                                                               GTG                                                                               AAG                                                                               GAT                                                                               CAG                               497                                                                               AGT                                                                               AGG                                                                               AAC                                                                               AAG                                                                               GGC                                                                               AGC                                                                               TCT                                                                               GCT                                                                               GTG                                                                               CCG                                                                               GTG                                                                               TAC                                                                               CGG                                                                               ATG                                                                               CTG                               542                                                                               CCA                                                                               CCC                                                                               CTC                                                                               ACC                                                                               AGG                                                                               AAC                                                                               CAG                                                                               AGG                                                                               AAA                                                                               GAG                                                                               AGA                                                                               AAG                                                                               TCC                                                                               AAG                                                                               TCC                               587                                                                               AGC                                                                               CGA                                                                               GAC                                                                               ACT                                                                               AAG                                                                               AGC                                                                               AAA                                                                               ACC                                                                               AAG                                                                               AGG                                                                               AAG                                                                               CTG                                                                               TGT                                                                               GGA                                                                               GAT                               632                                                                               GTT                                                                               AGC                                                                               CCG                                                                               GAC                                                                               ACT                                                                               TTC                                                                               TCT                                                                               GAT                                                                               GGA                                                                               CTC                                                                               AGC                                                                               AGC                                                                               TCT                                                                               ACC                                                                               CTA                               677                                                                               CCT                                                                               GAT                                                                               GAC                                                                               CAC                                                                               AGC                                                                               AGT                                                                               TAC                                                                               ACC                                                                               ACT                                                                               CAG                                                                               GGC                                                                               TAC                                                                               CTG                                                                               GGT                                                                               CAG                               722                                                                               GAC                                                                               TTG                                                                               GAT                                                                               ATG                                                                               GAA                                                                               AGG                                                                               GAC                                                                               ATA                                                                               ACT                                                                               CCA                                                                               GCA                                                                               CTG                                                                               TCA                                                                               CCG                                                                               TGT                               767                                                                               GTC                                                                               GTC                                                                               AGC                                                                               AGC                                                                               AGT                                                                               CTC                                                                               TCT                                                                               GAG                                                                               TGG                                                                               CAT                                                                               ATG                                                                               CAG                                                                               ATG                                                                               GAC                                                                               ATT                               812                                                                               ATA                                                                               CCA                                                                               GAT                                                                               AGC                                                                               ACC                                                                               ACT                                                                               GAT                                                                               CTG                                                                               TAT                                                                               AAC                                                                               CTA                                                                               CAG                                                                               GTG                                                                               TCA                                                                               CCC                               857                                                                               ATG                                                                               CCT                                                                               TCC                                                                               ACC                                                                               TCC                                                                               GAA                                                                               GCC                                                                               GCA                                                                               ACA                                                                               GAC                                                                               GAG                                                                               GAT                                                                               GAG                                                                               GAA                                                                               GGG                               902                                                                               AAG                                                                               ATA                                                                               GCC                                                                               GAA                                                                               GAC                                                                               CTT                                                                               ATG                                                                               AAG                                                                               CTC                                                                               TTT                                                                               GAA                                                                               CAG                                                                               TCT                                                                               GAG                                                                               TGG                               947                                                                               CAG                                                                               CCG                                                                               ACA                                                                               CAC                                                                               ATC                                                                               GAT                                                                               GCC                                                                               AAG                                                                               GGA                                                                               TAC                                                                               TTG                                                                               CTC                                                                               AAT                                                                               GAG                                                                               CCA                               992                                                                               GGG                                                                               ACC                                                                               CAG                                                                               CTC                                                                               TCT                                                                               TCT                                                                               GTC                                                                               TAT                                                                               GGA                                                                               GAC                                                                               TTC                                                                               AGC                                                                               TGC                                                                               AAA                                                                               GAG                               1037                                                                              GAA                                                                               CCA                                                                               GAG                                                                               ATT                                                                               GAC                                                                               AGC                                                                               CCT                                                                               CGA                                                                               GGG                                                                               GAC                                                                               ATT                                                                               GGG                                                                               ATA                                                                               GGC                                                                               ATA                               1082                                                                              CAA                                                                               CAT                                                                               GTC                                                                               TTC                                                                               ACG                                                                               GAG                                                                               ATG                                                                               AAG                                                                               AAT                                                                               ATG                                                                               GAC                                                                               TCC                                                                               ATC                                                                               ATG                                                                               TGG                               1127                                                                              ATG                                                                               GAC                                                                               AGC                                                                               CTG                                                                               CTG                                                                               GGC                                                                               AAC                                                                               TCT                                                                               GTG                                                                               AGG                                                                               CTG                                                                               CCG                                                                               CCC                                                                               TCT                                                                               ATT                               1172                                                                              CAG                                                                               GCC                                                                               ATT                                                                               CCT                                                                               TGT                                                                               GCA                                                                               CCA                                                                               TAG                                                                               TTTGGGTCTCTGACCCGTTCTTGCCC                          1222                                                                              TCCTGAGTGAGTTAGGCCTTGGCATCATGGTGGCTGTGATACAAAAAAAGCTAGACTCC                 1281                                                                              TGTGGGCCCCTTGACACATGGCAAAGCATAGTCCCACTGCAAACAGGGGACCATCCTCC                 1340                                                                              TTGGGTCAGTGGGCTCTCAGGGCTTAGGAGGCAGAGTCTGAGTTTTCTTGTGAGGTGAA                 1399                                                                              GCTGGCCCTGACTCCTAGGAAGATGGATTGGGGGGTCTGAGGTGTAAGGCAGAGGCCAT                 1458                                                                              GGACAGGAGTCATCTTCTAGCTTTTTAAAAGCCTTGTTGCATAGAGAGGGTCTTATCGC                 1517                                                                              TGGGCTGGCCCTGAGGGGAATAGACCAGCGCCCACAGAAGAGCATAGCACTGGCCCTAG                 1576                                                                              AGCTGGCTCTGTACTAGGAGACAATTGCACTAAATGAGTCCTATTCCCAAAGAACTGCT                 1635                                                                              GCCCTTCCCAACCGAGCCCTGGGATGGTTCCCAAGCCAGTGAA,TGTGAAGGGAAAAAA                 1694                                                                              AATGGGGTCCTGTGAAGGTTGGCTCCCTTAGCCTCAGAGGGAATCTGCCTCACTACCTG                 1753                                                                              CTCCAGCTGTGGGGCTCAGGAAAAAAAAATGGCACTTTCTCTGTGGACTTTGCCACATT                 1812                                                                              TCTGATCAGAGGTGTACACTAACATTTCTCCCCAGTCTAGGCCTTTGC  ATTTATTTATA               1871                                                                              TAGTGCCTTGCCTGGTGCCT,CTGTCTCCTCAGGCCTTGGCAGTCCTCAGCAGGCCCAG                 1930                                                                              GGAAAAGGGGGGTTGTGAGCGCCTTGGCGTGACTCTTGACTATCTATTAGAAACGCCAC                 1989                                                                              CTAACTGCTAAATGGTGTTTGGTCATGTGGTGGACCTGTGTAAATATGTATATTTGTCT                 2048                                                                              TTTTATAAAAATTTAAGTTGTTTACAAAAAAAAAA 2082                                    __________________________________________________________________________

or a degenerate variant of formula IV.

DNA sequences of the invention coding for proteins having IRF-1 activity include DNA sequences from a eukaryotic source such as, not only human and mouse, but also, e.g. chicken, frog and yeast, which hybridize with the DNA sequences of the foregoing human or murine IRF-1 (FIGS. I to IV) and which code for a protein having IRF-1 activity.

One such cDNA molecule which hybridizes to the cDNA of murine IRF-1 as defined in FIG. 4A (and is named IRF-2) is set forth below in formula IIIa:

    __________________________________________________________________________     Formula IIIa                                                                   __________________________________________________________________________      ##STR41##                                                                      ##STR42##                                                                      ##STR43##                                                                      ##STR44##                                                                      ##STR45##                                                                      ##STR46##                                                                      ##STR47##                                                                      ##STR48##                                                                      ##STR49##                                                                      ##STR50##                                                                      ##STR51##                                                                      ##STR52##                                                                      ##STR53##                                                                      ##STR54##                                                                      ##STR55##                                                                      ##STR56##                                                                      ##STR57##                                                                      ##STR58##                                                                      ##STR59##                                                                      ##STR60##                                                                      ##STR61##                                                                      ##STR62##                                                                      ##STR63##                                                                      ##STR64##                                                                     __________________________________________________________________________

or is a degenerate variant of formula IIIA.

This DNA molecule may, for example, be characterized by a structural gene having the formula defined above, and upstream and downstream flanking sequences contained within the following formula IVa:

    __________________________________________________________________________     TCTCAGGCAAGCCGGGGA                                                             CTAACTTTTAGTTTTGCTCCTGCGATTATTCAACTGACGGGCTTT                                  CATTTCCATTTTACACACCCTAACAACACTCACACCTTGCGGGAT                                  TGTATTGGTAGCGTGGAAAAAAAAAAAGCACATTGAGAGGGTACC                                   ##STR65##                                                                      ##STR66##                                                                      ##STR67##                                                                      ##STR68##                                                                      ##STR69##                                                                      ##STR70##                                                                      ##STR71##                                                                      ##STR72##                                                                      ##STR73##                                                                      ##STR74##                                                                      ##STR75##                                                                      ##STR76##                                                                      ##STR77##                                                                      ##STR78##                                                                      ##STR79##                                                                      ##STR80##                                                                      ##STR81##                                                                      ##STR82##                                                                      ##STR83##                                                                      ##STR84##                                                                      ##STR85##                                                                      ##STR86##                                                                      ##STR87##                                                                      ##STR88##                                                                     TTTCTTAGCTTTGTGTTGTTCTTTGTTTGTATTATATTATTTTTT                                  TTCTCTATGATACCTATCTTAGACACATCTAAGGGAGAA AGCCTT                                 GACGATAGATTATTGATTGCTGTGTCCAACTCCAGAGCTGGAGCT                                  TCTTCTTAACTCAGGACTCCAGCCCCCCCCCCCCCTCGGTGATG                                   CGTATCTCTAGAACCTGCTG-CATCTGCCAGGGCTACTCCCTCAG                                  TTCAAGGACCAACAGCCACACGGGCAGTGGAGGTGCGCCTTGCC                                   TACGGTCAAGGCCAGCATGGTGGAGTGGATGCCTCAGAACGGAGG                                  AGAAAATGTGAACTAGCTGGAATTTTTTTATTCTTGTGAATATGT                                  ACATAGGGCAGTACGAGCAATGTCGCGGGCTGCTTCTGCACCTTA                                  TCTTGAAGCACTTACAATAGGCCTTCTTGTAATCTTGCTCTCCTT                                  CACAGCACACTCGGCGACCCCTTCTGTGTCCACTACCCCACTACC                                  CACCCCTCCCTCCTCAACCCCTCCATCCCGGTCCTCTATGCGCCC                                  CTTCCCCCCAACCAATCCCATCACAACCTCTTACCTATCCTTTCC                                  CTCCCAACCCCTTCTATCCCAGCCCACCACCTACCCCACTCCTCC                                  CCAACTCCTCCATTCTAGCCCATTACCCACGCCTCTCTCCTCAGC                                  CCAGCCTACCCCATCCCACCCTGTTCCTTTCCTCCAGTTTCCTCT                                  CCTCAAAGGCAAGGCTCTACATCTTGGAGGAGGAGGAGGAGAAGA                                  AAATGAGTTTCTTCACCGCTGTCCCATTTTAAGACTGCTTAATA                                   ATAAAAAAAAATCTTTCTAATCTGCTATGCTTGAATGGCACGCGG                                  TACAAAGGAAAACTGTCATGGAAATAtTATGCAAATTCCCAGATC                                  TGAAGACGGAAAATACTCTAATTCTAACCAGAGCAAGCTTTTTTA                                  TTTTTTTATACAAGGGGAATATTTTATTCAAGGTAAAAAATTCT                                   AAATAAAATATAATTGTTTTTTATCTTTTCTACAGCAAATTTTA                                   ATTTTAAGATTCCTTTTCCTGTTCATCAGCAGTTGTTATTACATC                                  CCTTGTGGCACATTTTTTTTTTAATTTTGTAAAGGTGAAAAAAAA                                  ACTTTTATGAGCTCATGTAGCAATCAAATTATCCTGTGGATTGAT                                  AATAAATGAATATGGTATATAGTTAAAGATTTTAAAAAAAAAAAA                                  __________________________________________________________________________

or a degenerate variant of formula IVA.

We describe below the isolation of cDNA molecules from human cells and mouse cells coding for human and murine IRF-1, and from mouse cells and yeast which hybridize respectively to the cDNA of murine IRF-1 and human IRF-1.

The recombinant DNA molecule may also contain a promoter and regulatory sequence contained within the following formula V: ##STR89## or a degenerate variant of formula V.

The recombinant DNA molecule may also be designed, for expression of a pharmaceutically active protein such as e.g., a cytokine or a plasminogen activator, and in this form will contain preferably a structural gene for a desired pharmaceutically active protein operably linked to a promoter region of the gene for the said protein, including a binding site for the IRF-1 active molecule.

Thus, a recombinant DNA molecule of the invention may comprise a DNA sequence as defined above, and a structural gene for a desired pharmaceutically active protein under the control of the IRF-1 active protein coded for by said DNA sequence. In such a recombinant DNA molecule the gene coding for the IRF-1 active molecule, is preferably an under the control of a constitutive promoter, or most preferably inducible promoter. Preferably, the gene for the desired pharmaceutically active protein will include an IRF binding site containing repetitive AAGTGA sequences.

The present invention also comprehends a host cell, e.g. a bacterial cell e.g. E. coli, or a yeast cell, or a mammalian cell, e.g. a CHO cell or a mouse cell, e.g. L929, transformed by a recombinant DNA molecule as defined above. Ideally the host cell will be selected from a cell line which has no or substantially no level of endogenous IRF-1 activity.

Alternatively, for the production of a pharmaceutically active protein a host cell may be transformed by a first DNA molecule containing a sequence coding for a protein having the activity of an IRF-1, and by a second separate DNA molecule containing a gene coding for a desired, pharmaceutically active protein that is under the control of the IRF-1 active protein coded for by the first DNA molecule. Preferably the first DNA molecule coding for the IRF-1 active molecule includes a constitutive promoter or most preferably an inducible promoter sequence operably linked to the gene coding for the IRF-1 active compound. Also, preferably the second DNA molecule includes a binding site for the IRF-1 active protein containing repetitive AAGTGA sequences.

The IRF-1 active protein or the pharmaceutically active protein can be produced by cultivation of the transformed cell and isolation of the produced protein in conventional manner.

Suitably, the host cells are induced by treatment in a manner appropriate to the promoter which is operably linked to the gene coding for the IRF-1, as discussed below.

The invention also comprehends a protein having the activity of an IRF-1 obtained by the cultivation of a host transformed with a DNA molecule as defined above.

A preferred protein having the activity of an IRF-1 has the formula VI:

    __________________________________________________________________________     Formula VI                                                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Met Pro Ile Thr Arg Met Arg Met Arg Pro Trp Leu Glu Met Gln                                                                               Ile                 Asn Ser Asn Gln Ile Pro Gly Leu Ile Trp Ile Asn Lys Glu Glu                                                                               Met                 Ile Phe Gln Ile Pro Trp Lys His Ala Ala Lys His Gly Trp Asp                                                                               Ile                 Asn Lys Asp Ala Cys Leu Phe Arg Ser Trp Ala Ile His Thr Gly                                                                               Arg                 Tyr Lys Ala Gly Glu Lys Glu Pro Asp Pro Lys Thr Trp Lys Ala                                                                               Asn                 Phe Arg Cys Ala Met Asn Ser Leu Pro Asp Ale Glu Glu Val Lys                                                                               Asp                 Gln Ser Arg Asn Lys Gly Ser Ser Ala Val Arg Val Tyr Arg Met                                                                               Leu                 Pro Pro Leu Thr Arg Asn Gln Arg Lys Glu Arg Lys Ser Lys Ser                                                                               Ser                 Arg Asp Thr Lys Ser Lys Thr Lys Arg Lys Leu Cys Gly Asp Val                                                                               Ser                 Pro Asp Thr Phe Ser Asp Gly Leu Ser Ser Ser Thr Leu Pro Asp                                                                               Asp                 His Ser Ser Tyr Thr Thr Gln Gly Tyr Leu Gly Gln Asp Leu Asp                                                                               Met                 Glu Arg Asp Ile Thr Pro Ala Leu Ser Pro Cys Val Val Ser Ser                                                                               Ser                 Leu Ser Glu Trp His Met Gln Met Asp Ile Ile Pro Asp Ser Thr                                                                               Thr                 Asp Leu Tyr Asn Leu GlN Val Ser Pro Met Pro Ser Thr Ser Glu                                                                               Ala                 Ala Thr Asp Glu Asp Glu Glu Gly Lys Ile Ala Glu Asp Leu Met                                                                               Lys                 Leu Phe Glu Gln Ser Glu Trp Gln Pro Thr His Ile Asp Gly Lys                                                                               Gly                 Tyr Leu Leu Asn Glu Pro Gly Thr GlN Leu Ser Ser Val Tyr Gly                                                                               Asp                 Phe Ser Cys Lys Glu Glu Pro Glu Ile Asp Ser Pro Arg Gly Asp                                                                               Ile                 Gly Ile Gly Ile Gln His Val Phe Thr Glu Met Lys Asn Met Asp                                                                               Ser                 Ile Met Trp Met Asp Ser Leu Leu Gly Asn Ser Val Arg Leu Pro                                                                               Pro                 Ser Ile Gln Ala Ile Pro Cys Ala Pro                                            __________________________________________________________________________

Another preferred protein having the activity of an IRF-1 has the formula VII: ##STR90##

Yet another preferred protein (IRF-2), which is coded for by the cDNA sequence of formula IIIa has the formula VIII: ##STR91##

We describe below the molecular cloning and characterization of murine and human cDNA encoding DNA binding proteins having the IRF-1 activity.

A remarkable sequence conservation will be seen between the murine and human IRF-1 molecules, as revealed from the analysis of the cloned cDNAs. Furthermore, expression of the gene encoding IRF-1 is shown to be induced by Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) and Concanavalin A (ConA) in mouse L929 cells and splenic lymphocytes, respectively.

As used herein, a "functional derivative" is a compound which possesses a biological activity (either functional or structural) that is substantially similar to a biological activity of IFR-1. The term "functional derivative" is intended to include the "fragments," "variants," "analogues," or "chemical derivatives" of a molecule. A "fragment" of a molecule such as IFR-1, is meant to refer to any polypeptide subset of the molecule. A "variant" of a molecule such as IFR-1 is meant to refer to a molecule substantially similar in structure and function to either the entire molecule, or to a fragment thereof. A molecule is said to be "substantially similar" to another molecule if both molecules have substantially similar structures or if both molecules possess a similar biological activity. Thus, provided that two molecules possess a similar activity, they are considered variants as that term is used herein even if the structure of one of the molecules is not found in the other, or if the sequence of amino acid residues is not identical.

EXAMPLES

1. Cloning and expression of IRF-1 DNA in E. coli

A. Poly(A)⁺ RNA was isolated from uninduced mouse L929 cells and used to synthesis cDNA (following the procedure of Aruffo and Seed, 1987) (e.g., see page 8573). The resulting cDNA was then cloned into an EcoRI-cleaved λgtll vector and a cDNA library constructed according to the standard procedure of Huynh et al., 1985, Using E. coli Y1090 as the host strain.

The resulting λgtll library was then screened using the multimerized (4 times) AAGTGA sequence (hereinafter referred to as the C1 oligomer; Fujita et al., 1987) (e.g., see page 365) as the probe.

In this screening procedure, E. coli Y1090, infected by the recombinant λgtll phages, was plated onto 10×13 cm square plates. The plates were then incubated at 12° C. for 4 to 5 hours, when about 20,000 plaques/plate were visible.

Membrane filters for screening were either nylon (Nytran; Schleicher & Schnell) or nitrocellulose (Schleicher & Schnell) membranes. The filters were immersed in 10 mM IPTG Isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (for the induction of lacZ gene expression in the appropriate phage plaques) and air dried, then overlayed on the plates and incubated at 37° C. for 2.5 hours. Plaques will only produce a protein encoded by cDNA if the cDNA is in-frame with the lacZ gene.

The filters were then removed and chilled at 4° C. for 20 minutes and, without drying, were subjected to screening.

The membrane filters were then prepared for assay as follows:

Nuclear extract was prepared from mouse L929 cells and it was spotted (in an amount corresponding to about 10 μg protein) onto the membranes.

Prior to effecting DNA binding a Binding Buffer consisting of 10 mM Hepes, pH 7.5, 5.0 mM NaCl, 1 mM DTT, 1 mM EDTA, 5% glycerol was used. 5% of non-fat powder milk (Yukijurishi Inc.) was added to the buffer and the filters were incubated in the mixture for 1 hour at 4° C. and then rinsed for 1 minute in the same buffer but containing no powder milk.

The filters were then incubated in binding buffer (1 ml) containing 350 μg/ml of salmon sperm DNA of average length of approximately 300 bp and ³² P-labelled probe C1 oligomer DNA (10⁶ cpm/ml; specific activity 2,000 cpm/f mole) (see Fujita et al., 1987) (e.g., see page 366). The probe DNA was end labeled at the 5'-termini [γ-³² P]ATP using T4 kinase.

After the binding, the filters were washed at room temperature with the Binding Buffer for 1 to 2 hours (10 ml filter), changing the Binding buffer several times during this operation. The filters were then air-dried and subjected to autoradiography. In this assay the nylon membranes, but not the nitrocellulose membranes, gave a positive signal which was specifically inhibited by including excess unlabeled C1 oligomer.

About 1.4×10⁶ recombinants were screened in this way. Among the 32 positive phage clones identified in the first screening, one clone (designated λL28-8) was found to bind repeatedly with the probe DNA in subsequent rounds of screening.

2. Production and Purification of protein in transfected E. coli

Lysogenic bacterial clones were prepared by transfecting E. coli Y1089 with λL28-8. Overnight lysogens harboring λL28-8 were then seeded at 1% in 400 ml L-Broth. The bacteria were grown at 31° C. until the OD₆₀₀ became 1. The temperature was then shifted to 42° C. for 20 min. IPTG was then added to 10 mM and, after incubating at 38° C. for a further 20 min. the cultures were rapidly pelleted and suspended in 10 ml of Lysis Buffer which consists of 20 mM Hepes pH 7.9, 0.2 mM EDTA, 0.5 mM spermidine, 0.15 mM spermine, 0.1 mM DTT, 10% glycerol, 0.5 mM phenylmethyonylsulphonylfluoride (PMSF), 1 μg/ml pepstatin A, 1 μg/ml leupeptine, 500 μM L-I-tosylamide-2-phenylethylchloromethylbenzamidine, 10 mM sodium molybdate, 2 mM sodium pyrophosphate and 2 mM sodium orthovanadate. Cell suspensions were subjected to three rapid freeze-thaw cycles and subsequently centrifuged at 30,000 rpm for 1 hr. at 4° C. using a Beckman 50 Ti rotor. The supernatant was used either directly for a gel retardation assay (see below) or was further purified.

Further purification was carried out as follows:

Approximately 4 ml of the supernatant was applied on poly(di-C):poly(di-C)-column with a bed volume of 2 ml, and equilibrated with Lysis Buffer. The flow-through material (4 ml) was then applied on a DE 52 (Whatman) column having a bed volume of 2 ml equilibrated with Buffer Z (25 Mm Hepes, ph 7.8, 12.5 mM MgCl₂, 1 mM DDT, 20% glycerol, 0.1% NP-40(ONONIDET™ P-40, an octylphenolethylene oxide condeste having an average of 9 moles ethylene oxide per mole of phenol) 0.5 mM PMSF). The DNA binding activity was eluted by r Z containing 0.1M KCl. The eluate (approximately 4 ml) was further concentrated using centricon-10 (Amicon). The final protein concentration was 28 mg/ml.

3. Characterisation of the Protein Product of the Clone λL28-8:

(1) Gel retardation assay

Lysogenic bacterial clones harbouring λL28-8 were prepared by transfecting E. coli Y1089 and were induced to express the cloned cDNA at high levels using the procedure of Huynh et al., 1985 (e.g., see pages 53-61). Lysogenic clones prepared and treated in the same manner with the phage lacking the cDNA insert (designated λ6) were used as a control.

Extracts each containing 3 μg protein were prepared from the induced cultures of the Lysogen (four preparations designated λL28-8a, λL28-8b and λ6a and λ6b).

Nuclear extract (3 μg protein) was also prepared from mouse L929 cells.

The extracts were incubated with 1 fmole labeled C1 oligomer probe as described above having a specific activity of 8,000 cpm/fmole.

Each extract was also subject to competitive assay in which a competitor DNA was added at various concentrations to the incubation.

The results of the assay are shown in FIG. 1 in which the various lanes correspond to the following:

    ______________________________________                                         Lane     Extract                                                               ______________________________________                                         1        none                                                                  2        λ6a                                                            3        λ6b                                                            4        λ6b with 1,000 fold molar excess of unlabeled                           Cl oligomer                                                           5        λ6b with 1,000 fold molar excess of unlabeled                           C5A oligomer*                                                         6        λL28-8a                                                        7        λL28-8b                                                        8        λL28-8b with 1,000 fold molar excess of un-                             labeled Cl oligomer                                                   9        λL28-8b with 1,000 fold molar excess of un-                             labeled C5A oligomer*                                                 10       L929 cell                                                             11       L929 cell with 1,000 fold molar excess of un-                                  labeled Cl oligomer                                                   12       L929 cell with 1,000 fold molar excess of un-                                  labeled C5A oligomer*                                                 ______________________________________                                          *The C5A oligomer is described in Fujita et al., 1985, and is a 6 times        repeated GAAA sequence.                                                  

From FIG. 1 it will be apparent that bound probes are detectable in lanes 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, protein extracts from the λL28-8 lysogens gave rise to shifted bands (lanes 6 and 7), the appearence of which was inhibited by excess unlabeled C1 oligomer DNA but not by the same amount of the C5A oligomer (lanes 8 and 9).

In contrast to λL28-8-derived proteins, those prepared from the induced λ6-derived lysogens failed to give such shifted bands (lanes 2-5). The shifted bands can be seen to be closely similar to those of the natural IRF-1 from mouse L929 cells (lanes 10 and 12). Such differences as exist in the two sets of shifted bands is considered to be a consequence of the different amounts of protein bound to the probe DNA.

In addition, it is found that the shifted bands were detectable only with the proteins from IPTG-induced Y1089 cells transfected with λL28-8.

(ii) DNAase Footprinting analysis

Footprinting analysis was carried out to test the binding properties of the protein encoded by λL28-8 cDNA to a DNA encoding the IFN-β gene upstream region.

Protein encoded by λL28-8 cDNA was extracted from the induced lysogen and partially purified by column chromatography as described above and tested for its binding properties to a DNA containing the IFN-β gene upstream region.

Probe DNAs were prepared as SalI-HindIII fragments isolated from p-125cat (containing the wild type IFN-β gene) and p-125DPcat (containing a mutant IFN-β gene). The plasmid p-125cat was constructed as p-105cat (Fujita et al., 1987) (e.g., see page 365), except the BamHI (-125)-TagI (+19) fragment from pSE-125 (Fujita et al., Cell, Vol. 41, pp 489-496, 1985) was used. Plasmid p-125DPcat, carrying point mutations within the IFN-β regulatory elements were obtained by synthetic oligo nucleotide directed mutagenesis on p-125cat as described in Hatakeyama et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., Vol. 83, pp 9650-9654, 1986). Both DNAs were labeled at the HindIII site by [γ-³² P]ATP using T4 kinase.

4 fmoles of the probe DNA (specific activity 3,000 cpm/fmole) was incubated in the 20 μl reaction mixture containing 25 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.9, 6.25 mM MgCl₂, 50 mM KCl, 1 mM EDTA, 0.5 mM DTT, 10% glycerol, 2% polyvinylalcohol in the presence or absence of 280 μg of the purified protein.

In the assay 5×10⁻⁴ unit of DNAase I (Worthington) was added and incubated for 1 min. at 25° C.

FIG. 2 shows autoradiograms of the DNA fragments obtained from samples obtained by carrying out the following procedures. On the left hand side of FIG. 2 is part of the DNA sequence of the wild type IFN-β probe, and on the right hand side of FIG. 2 is part of the DNA sequence of the mutant IFN-β probe.

1. The wild type IFN-β probe was cleaved by A+G reactions

(see Methods in Enzymology, Vol. 65, pp 499-560)--result shown in lane 1.

2. The wild type IFN-β probe was partially digested by DNAase I without protection--result shown in lane 2.

3. The wild type IFN-β probe was reacted with the protein and then digested with DNAase I--result shown in lane 3.

4. The wild type IFN-β probe was reacted with the protein in the presence of 1,000 fold molar excess of unlabeled C1 oligomer and then digested with DNAase I--result shown in lane 4.

5. The mutant IFN-β probe was reacted with the protein and then digested by DNAase I--result shown in lane 5.

6. The mutant IFN-β probe was cleaved by A+G reactions--result shown in lane 6.

In FIG. 2 the protected regions as revealed in lanes 3 and 5 are indicated respectively on the sequences depicted on the left and right sides of the autoradiogram. The hexamer motifs are framed.

From the results in FIG. 2 it will be seen that the protected region corresponds to nucleotides -100 to -64, this being the region found to be protected by IRF-1 obtained from L929 cells. The protection was abrogated by the use of excess unlabeled C1 oligomer (lane 4). It was also found, using lower protein concentrations, that preferential protection occurred in the region containing the AAGTGA motif (-80 to -70).

These results indicate that the protein has a higher affinity to the region containing the AAGTGA motif and a lower affinity to the surrounding region.

The mutant IFN-β gene segment carries T-G mutations at positions -106, -100, -73 and -67. In comparing lanes 5 and 2, under the same assay conditions the protection afforded by the recombinant proteins appears restricted to the unmutated region (lane 2). This observation is in conformity with the observation that the introduction of these mutations results in a dramatic reduction (20 fold) of the inducibility of transcription by NDV in L929 cells and that in vitro binding of IRF-1 to the mutant IFN-β gene was notable only in the unmutated region.

Further, the use of the C1 oligomer reveals that the protein specifically protects the region containing the oligomer sequences. This protection corresponded identically to that afforded by native IRF-1 derived from L929 cells.

3. DNA Competition Assay

This assay was carried out to examine the affinity of the recombinant protein to various DNA sequences including some of the known transcriptional regulatory DNA sequences. The procedure was as follows:

The HindIII-SalI fragment of IFN-β probe was isolated from p-125 cat (see Fijita et al., 1987); this fragment contains the human IFN-β gene sequence from +19 to -125. The DNA was labeled at the 3' termini by filling in both ends with [α-³² P]dCTP using Klenow fragment.

The specific activity of the probe DNA was 8,000 cpm/fmole.

The gel retardation assays were carried out under the conditions described above.

In the competition assay runs, the DNA was reacted with the protein in the presence of various concentrations of competitor DNAs in the binding mixture, as indicated in FIG. 3.

The formation level of the complex was quantitated by densitometric analysis of the autoradiogram. Complex formation in the absence of competitor DNA was taken to be 100%.

The structure of the competitor DNAs were as follows:

a) AP-1: a synthetic DNA having the following sequence ##STR92## b) murine H2-D^(d) : 37 bp of synthetic DNA that encompasses the IRS element (-159 to -123) as described by Korber et al., 1988;

c) human IFN-α: 46 bp synthetic DNA corresponding to virus Response Element, see Ryals et al., 1985.

f) Hexamer sequences C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5A. The sequences C1 and C5A are as described above. Sequences C2, C3 and C4 are as published in Cell, 49, 352-367 (1987); they represent the sequences

    ______________________________________                                         AAATGA             C2                                                          AAGGGA             C3 and                                                      AAAGGA             C4 respectively                                             ______________________________________                                    

f) the IFN-β gene sequence from +19 to -66.

In FIG. 3, the left hand panel shows the results obtained when the hexamer repeats were used as competitors. The middle panel gives the results when human IFN gene segments were used as competitors, and the right hand panel gives the corresponding results, using various DNA segments as indicated within the panel.

From the results shown in FIG. 3, it will be seen that the appearance of the shifted band was competed out by the hexamer sequences in order of efficiency C1-C2-C3-C4, but was not competed out significantly by C5A.

It can also be observed that the synthetic DNA segments encompassing compassing the regulatory elements of either human IFN-al or murine H-2D^(d) genes gave rise to a competitive activity. This is particularly interesting as the DNA segment of the H-2D^(d) gene contains the so-called IFN-response sequence (IRS) that functions as an enhancer when the cells respond to IFN (Sugita et al., 1987; Israel et al., 1986; Korber et al., 1988).

In fact, sequence motifs similar or identical to these found on the IFN-β gene are found in many of the promoter sequences of the IFN-inducible genes where nuclear factors appear to bind specifically (Korber et al., 1988; Levy et al., 1988).

The results given in FIG. 3 are closely similar to those obtained when the assay is repeated under similar conditions using natural protein produced from L929 cells.

Structure of the cDNA encoding murine IRF-1

The DNA sequence of the cloned DNAs was determined either by a dideoxy method (SEQUENASE; United States Biochemical, Inc.) or by the standard Maxam-Gilbert method (Maxam and Gilbert, 1980) (See entire document.).

The λL28-8 insert in E. coli Y1089 was isolated as follows: the phage DNA was prepared by standard procedure and the DNA was digested by EcoRI then the cDNA cleaved out of the phage DNA was isolated and sequenced by the dideoxy method (Sequenase: United States Biochemical Inc.). The cDNA insert in λL28-8 was found to be 1.8 kb long. The nucleotide sequence analysis revealed a large open reading frame linked in phase with the β-galactoside gene.

To screen clones containing larger cDNA inserts, double stranded cDNA was synthesised with L929 cell derived poly (A)⁺ RNA and cloned into vector CDM8 according to the published procedure of Aruffo and Seed (Prod. Natl. Acad. Sci., U.S.A., Vol 84, pp 8573, 1987) (e.g., see page 8573-8574) and Seed (Nature, Vol. 329, pp. 840-842, 1987) (e.g., see page 840).

The recombinant plasmids were introduced into E.coli strain MC1061/p3 (according to the procedure of Aruffo and Seed; as above) and the clones of cDNA were screened using the λL28-8-derived (³² p-labeled) cDNA probe under low stringent conditions for DNA-DNA hybridization (Kashima et al, Nature, Vol. 313, pp 402-404, 1985) (e.g., see page 403), and a clone pIRF-L was selected for further study.

The desired cDNA insert of pIRF-L was obtained by digestion with HindIII and XbaI and sequenced by the methods described above. The sequence is shown in Formula IV and in FIG. 4A.

The cDNA sequence from λL28-8 was found to contain an identical sequence in the overlapping region except that one A residue was missing between nucleotides 1773 and 1781.

The 5' and 3' termini of the λL28-8 derived cDNA are marked by arrows in FIG. 4. The ATTTATTTA and ATTTA sequences which possibly confer the mRNA instability are framed.

As will be apparent from FIG. 4A the cDNA of the murine cDNA derived from pIRF-L was 198 bp and 20 bp longer than that of the λL28-8 cDNA in the 5' and 3' regions, respectively.

Analysis of the genomic DNA sequence containing the promoter region of this gene reveals that the cDNA of pIRF-L is missing about 30 bp from the major CAP site, see below and Formula V and FIG. 7A.

The immediate upstream sequence of the first ATG codon, GGACCATGC, fits well with Kozak's consensus sequence ##STR93## for the translation initation site.

An in-frame ATG sequence was not found in the upstream sequence from the above mentioned ATG sequence confirming that it is indeed the initiation codon for the IRF-1 mRNA.

As mentioned above, no difference in nucleotide sequence was detected between the cDNAs of λL28-8 and pIRF-L within the overlapping regions, except one nucleotide in the 3'-non-coding region.

The murine IRF-1 was thus found to consist of 329 amino acids with a calculated M.W. of 37.3 KD. Canonical N-glycosylation sites do not appear within the sequence.

No significant homology to other known proteins was detected by searching in Protein Sequence Database (Natl. Biomed. Res. Found., Washington, D.C.) and more recently published sequences.

Hydropathy plot analysis according to Kyte and Doolittle, 1982, indicates that the protein as a whole is highly hydrophilic (FIG. 4B).

Inspection of the deduced primary sequence of the murine IRF-1 reveals the following features:

The amino terminal half, extending to amino acid (a.a.) 140 is rich in lysine (Lys) and arginine (Arg). In fact 31 out of 39 of the total Lys and Arg residues are located in this region. In the lower panel of FIG. 4B is represented a diagrammatic summary of the location of the basic amino acids (Arg, Lys) (upward columns) and acidic amino acids (Asp, Glu) (downward columns).

As shown in FIG. 4B, this region shows strong hydrophilicity and is considered to be the region primarily responsible for the binding of IRF-1 to the specific DNA sequences.

In this connection, characteristic motifs for many DNA binding proteins such as Zinc fingers and helix-turn-helix motifs (Pabo and Sauer, 1984 (See entire document), Evans and Hollenberg, 1988 (e.g., see page 2)) were not detectable in the IRF-1 protein.

In contrast the rest of the molecule (i.e. the carboxyl terminal half) shows a relative abundance of aspattic acid (Asp), gutamic acid (Glu), Serine (Ser) and Threonine (Thr). Of 189 amino acids (from a.a. 140 to 329), 33 (17%) represent acidic amino acids and 36 (19%) represent Ser and Thr. Notably a cluster of 5 consecutive acidic amino acids is found in a.a. 227 to 231. With regard to Ser and Thr, many appear to form clusters (region at a.a. 153-156, 190-192, 206-208, 220-222; referred to as the S-T regions herein). The S-T regions are depicted by small open rectangles in the lower panel of FIG. 4B.

Structure of the cDNA encoding human IRF-1

Following a procedure similar to that described above for the murine IRF-1, human IRF-1 cDNA was cloned and sequenced.

A human cDNA library was prepared by synthesising cDNA using poly(A)⁺ RNA from a human T cell line Jurkat. The double stranded cDNA synthesis and subsequent cloning into plasmid vector CDM8 was carried out according to the procedure of Aruffo and Seed (Proc. Natl., Acad. Sci., U.S.A., Vol. 84, pp 8573-8577, 1987) (e.g., see pages 8573-8574) and Seed (Nature, Vol. 329, pp 840-842, 1987).

The recombinant plasmids were introduced into E. coli strain, MC1061/p3 using the procedure of Aruffo and Seed as mentioned above.

Clones of cDNA that cross-hybridize with mouse IRF-I cDNA were screened using λL28-8 cDNA (³² p-labeled) as the probe under low stringent conditions for DNA-DNA hybridization. The conditions employed were exactly as described by Kashima et al. (Nature, Vol. 313, pp 402-404, 1985) (e.g., see page 403). Hybridization was performed at 65° degrees for 20 hours in a medium containing 1M NaCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 10 mM EDTA, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.2% ficoll, 0.2% polyvinylpyrrolidone, 0.2% bovine serum albumin, and 50 μg/ml E. coli DNA as described in Ohno, S. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:5305-5309 (1980) except that the washing of the filter after hybridization was carried out in 3×SSC at 65° C.

From the positive clones clone pHIRF31 containing the longest cDNA insert was selected.

The desired cDNA sequence of clone pHIRF31 was isolated by digestion of the plasmid DNA by XhoI and after isolation subjected to sequencing by the methods described above. The structure of the human IRF-1 gene is shown in Formula II and in FIG. 8.

The sequences for the deduced murine and human IRF-1 are shown juxtaposed for comparison in FIG. 5.

Analysis of the human DNA revealed that this IRF-1 is shorter than the murine IRF-1 by four amino acids.

Strong conservation of the amino acid sequences can be seen between the two IRF-1 molecules. In particular, 133 out of 140 amino acids (95%) of the amino terminal halves can be seen to be identical.

Taken together, the above observation indicate that IRF-1 is a new class of DNA binding protein.

It should also be noted that the sequence ATTTATTTA and ATTTA, found in many cytokine and proto-oncogene mRNAs, are present within the 3' non-translated region of the murine IRF-1 cDNA, and likewise the sequence ATTTA is found within the corresponding region of the human IRF-1 cDNA. These sequences are believed to play a role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by confering instability to the mRNA (Shaw and Kamen, 1986 (e.g., see pages 659 and 664); Caput et al., 1986) (e.g., see page 1674).

Plasmid pIRF-L was transfected into E.coli MC1061/p3 which was deposited as E.coli MC106/p3 (pIRF-L) at the Fermentation Research Institute Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (FRI), 1-3, Higashi 1-chome, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken 305, Japan, under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on 19th Aug. 1988 under No. FERM BP-2005.

Plasmid pIRF-L was similarly transfected into E.coli MC1061/p3 which was deposited as E.coli MC106/p3 (pIRF-31) at the FRI under the Budapest Treaty on 19th Aug. 1988 under No. FERM BP-2006.

Regulation of the IRF gene

1. Expression of IRF-1 mRNA

In view of the fact that IRF-1 manifests affinities to regulatory sequences of genes other than IFN-β gene and is thus involved in the regulation of a set of genes in various cell types, examination of the expression of the IRF-1 mRNA in mouse cells derived from various tissues and organs was carried out using the murine cDNA as a probe. To prepare this probe M13 mp10 phage DNA (see below) containing the sense strand of IRF-1 gene PstI fragment was used as a template to synthesise the ³² P-labeled antisense DNA, the product was digested by EcoRI and the probe DNA isolated as described by Fujita et al. (1985).

Total RNA was isolated by the established procedure of Aruffo and Seed 1987 (e.g., see pages 8573-8574).

The blotting analysis was then carried out essentially as described by Thomas (1980), the x-ray film being exposed for 3 days and the results are shown in FIG. 6A. The various lanes represent the results of runs carried out using whole cell RNA from the following tissue:

    ______________________________________                                         Lane 1          Brain                                                          Lane 2          Heart                                                          Lane 3          Liver                                                          Lane 4          Lung                                                           Lane 5          Spleen (unstimulated)                                          Lane 6          Thymus                                                         Lane 7          Kidney                                                         Lane 8          Muscle                                                         Lane 9          Intestine                                                      Lane 10         Spleen (unstimulated)                                          Lane 11         ConA - stimulated spleen                                       ______________________________________                                    

In the run for each Lane 5 μg of whole cell RNA was used, except in lane 8 for which only 1.2 μg RNA was used.

It will be seen from FIG. 6A that a band corresponding to about 2.0 kb was detected in most of the RNA samples by this blotting analysis, although the mRNA expression level seems low. It is noteworthy that the mRNA expression level in the spleen-derived lymphocytes was augmented dramatically following stimulation by ConA (Lane 11).

In a further assay mouse L929 cells were induced by NDV as described previously (Fujita et al., 1985 (e.g., see page 8574)) and the cytoplasmic RNA extracted, by the procedure of Aruffo and Seed 1987, every three hours after infection.

Probe DNAs were prepared from the following various sequences and labeled by the multiprime labeling reaction (Amersham), namely

(i) an 1.8 kb EcoRI fragment from λL28-8 (specific activity 2×10⁸ cpm/μg);

(ii) a 0.5 kb BamHI-BglII fragment from a mouse IFN-β genomic clone (specific activity 5×10⁸ cpm/μg) and

(iii) a 2.0 kb BamHI-PvuII fragment of a clone containing human β-actin pseudogene (specific activity 5×10⁸ cpm/μg).

The results are shown in FIG. 6B. Blotting analysis was carried out, as described above, using the procedure of Thomas (1980).

Each lane received 10 μg of the cytoplasmic RNA. The x-ray film was exposed for 3 hours. Densitometric analysis revealed that IRF-1 mRNA increased about 25-fold, 9-12 hours after NDV infection.

Whilst the increase in mRNA is dramatic it is transient, peaking at 9 to 12 hours and levelling off 15 hours after induction. mRNA accumulation preceeds the accumulation of the IFN-β mRNA; as can be seen from FIG. 6B the induction of the IRF-1 mRNA can be observed already 3 hours after NDV infection, while the IFN-β mRNA is detectable only after 6 hours under similar blotting conditions for both RNAs.

The IRF-1 promoter

As demonstrated above, the IRF-1 gene is transcriptionally regulated by various agents such as viruses and mitogenes.

Southern blot analysis of the chromosomal DNA indicated that the IRF-1 gene may be spliced and not multimembered in the mouse.

A λphage library containing new-born mouse DNA was screened for the clones harboring the IRF-1 promoter sequence using the same λL28-8 derived cDNA probe used above. Four positive clones were identified, all of which were found to contain the same genomic DNA and one of them μg14-2 was used for further analysis. A PstI fragment was sub-cloned into the PstI site of pUC19 to construct p19IRFP.

The same DNA was thereafter cloned into the PstI site of M13mp10 and M13mp11 which were used to generate DNA for sequence analysis.

Nucleotide sequence analysis of the PstI fragment from the above clones was carried out as previously described. Major and minor CAP sites were identified by S1 mapping analysis.

The determined sequence is shown in FIG. 7A. As can be seen the downstream sequence of the DNA perfectly matches that of the pIRF-L derived cDNA.

The S1 nuclease analysis indicates the presence of two CAP sites for the IRF-1 mRNA in which the major site is about 20 nucleotides downstream of the minor site. Typical TATA box sequences are not present within the upstream region of the gene. In view of the unusual abundancy of CpG sequence, this region probably constitutes an "HTF island" (Bird, 1986) (e.g., see page 209).

The promoter region contains two GC boxes and one CAAT box (see FIG. 7A); the former boxes should bind SpI (Kadogan et al., 1986) (e.g., page 22) and the latter, CP-1 or CP-2 (Chodosh et al., 1988) (e.g., see page 11).

The PstI fragment containing the promoter sequences was then tested for its reactivity in response to extracellular signals e.g. virus inducibility in the following manner:

A chimeric gene was constructed in which a reporter gene, namely a bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene was abutted downstream of the PstI segment. This was done by excising a PstI fragment from P19IRFP (see above) by BamHI and HindIII and cloning the resulting fragment into the BglII-HindIII backbone fragment of pA₁₀ cat₂ (Rosenthal et al., 1983) (e.g., see pag 750)to construct pIRFcat.

Several further constructs were prepared as follows:

pIRFΔcat was prepared by digesting the p19IRFP-derived BamHI-HindIII fragment with HaeIII whose single recognition site is located at -30 to -35 from the major CAP site (FIG. 7A). The resulting HaeIII-HindIII fragment was ligated with the BglII-HindIII backbone fragment of pA₁₀ cat₂ and the following synthetic DNA ##STR94##

Thus both pIRFcat and pIRF Δ cat contained sequences up to -320 and -48 from the major CAP site respectively.

p-125cat contains the promoter sequence of the human IFN-β gene as described by Fujita et al., 1987.

pSV2cat is described in Gorman et al., Science, Vol. 221, pp 551-553.

As a reference gene pRSVgpt was used (see Gorman et al., above).

The various genes were transfected into mouse L929 cells using the calcium phosphate method (Fujita et al., 1985) (e.g., see page 495). 5×10⁶ cells were transfected with 7.5 μg of the test plasmid containing the CAT reporter gene and 2.5 μg of pRSVgpt. The cells were induced by NDV or mock-induced and then subjected to the enzyme assay as described by Fujita et al., 1985 (e.g., see page 495).

In calculating the relative CAT activity, CAT activity from the mock-induced cells, transfected with pSV2cat was taken as 100%. Each CAT activity was normalised by the Ecogpt (Mulligan and Berg, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., Vol. 78, pp 2072-2076) of the respective samples. In samples where the CAT was below the background level, they were marked as b.b.

The results are shown in FIG. 7B.

It will be seen that transfection of the pIRFcat into mouse L929 gave rise to the expression of low level CAT activity. The CAT expression level was increased when the transfected cells were stimulated by NDV. Deletion of the 300 bp upstream sequence of the IRF-1 gene (pIRFΔcat) virtually abolished both constitutive and induced expression of the CAT gene. This demonstrates that the promoter sequence lies within the 300 bp upstream region and is virus inducible.

Construction of expression plasmids

1. Phage DNA of clone λL28-8 was digested by EcoRI and the cDNA insert was recovered. The EcoRI sites of the cDNA were rendered flush by T4 DNA polymerase and then ligated with synthetic adaptor DNAs having the sequence pGATCCATTGTGCTGG and pCCAGCACAATG according to Aruffo and Seed, 1987 (e.g., see page 8573).

After removal of the synthetic DNAs by 5-20% potassium acetate gradient centrifugation (Aruffo and Seed, 1987) (e.g., see page 8574), the IRF-1 cDNA with the adaptor DNAs attached to both its ends was ligated with BstXI-cleaved CDM8 vector DNA (Seed, B., Nature, vol. 329, pp, 840-842, 1987) (e.g., see page 840). Plasmids pIRF-S and pIRF-A containing the IRF-1 cDNA in the sense and antisense orientation with respect to the CMV promoter respectively were isolated.

Each plasmid DNA was co-transfected with either p-55cat or p55C1B (Fujita et al., 1987) into L929 cells and the CAT expression level was determined.

The results are shown in Table 1 below:

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                                Transfected                                                                              Induction                                                                               CAT activity                                                plasmids  by NDV   (% conversion)                                       ______________________________________                                         Exp. 1   PIRF-S      -        <1%                                                       p-55cat                                                                        PIRF-S      -         50%                                                      P-55ClB                                                                        PIRF-A      -        <1%                                                       P-55cat                                                                        pIRF-A      -        <1                                               Exp. 2   pIRF-S      -         1,7%                                                     P-55ClB                                                                        pIRF-S      +         3,6%                                                     P-55ClB                                                                        PIRF-A      -        <0,1%                                                     p-55ClB                                                                        pIRF-A      +        <0,1%                                                     P-55ClB                                                               ______________________________________                                    

The DNA transfection efficiency varies depending on the state of the recipient cells (in this case, mouse L929 cells). The efficiency was much lower in Exp. 2 compared to Exp. 1. Therefore, the CAT expression level is relatively lower in Exp. 2.

As can be seen from the above table significant CAT activity was detectable only in the cells transfected by p-55CIB and pIRF-S. They demonstrate that the IRF-1 binds to the repeated (8 times) AAGTGA sequences present in the upstream of the CAT gene in p-55CIB and thereby promotes transcription of the distal CAT gene.

The results further show that the CAT expression level is increased (more than two fold) by infecting the transfected cells with NDV (Table 1), demonstrating that it is possible to control the gene expression by various stimuli such as viruses.

2. An expression plasmid for the production of a protein consisting of IRF-1 DNA binding domain and transcriptional activation domain of yeast GAL4 was constructed as follows:

Plasmid pIRF-S was digested by HindIII and PstI and the cDNA insert isolated. The cDNA was digested by DraIII and the HindIII-DraIII fragment (about 550 bp) was recovered and designated Fragment A.

The expression vector CDM8 was digested by HindIII and XbaI and the backbone DNA isolated and designated Fragment B.

The DNA encoding the yeast GAL4 transcriptional activation domain was isolated from plasmid pRB968 (Ma and Ptashne, 1987) (e.g., see page 137) as follows:

The pRB968 DNA was first digested by HindIII and the termini were rendered flush by T4 DNA polymerase. Synthetic XbaI linker DNA was added to the DNA and the DNA was subsequently digested by PvuII and XbaI.

The resulting ca. 600 bp PvuII-XbaI DNA fragment was recovered and designated Fragment C.

In addition, a synthetic DNA with the following sequence was prepared: ##STR95## designated Fragment D.

An expression vector pIRFGAL4 was constructed by ligating the Fragments A, B, C and D. As a control plasmid, plasmid pIRFΔGAL4 was constructed by ligating Fragments A, B, C and a synthetic DNA with the following sequence: ##STR96##

As a terminator triplet, TGA, is present in frame between the IRF-1 and GAL4 sequences in pIRFΔGAL4, the expressed protein should lack the GAL4activation domain.

In order to test the functional properties of the plasmid encoded chimeric transcriptional factor pIRFGAL4 and pIRFΔGAL4 were each co-transfected with p-55CIB into L929 cells and CAT expression monitored. The results are shown in Table 2 below:

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         Transfected plasmid                                                                          CAT activity (% conversion)                                      ______________________________________                                         pIRF-S        2,0%                                                             p-55ClB                                                                        pIRF-A        <0,2%                                                            p-55ClB                                                                        pIRFGAL       1,4%                                                             P-55ClB                                                                        Δ       <0,2%                                                            p-55ClB                                                                        ______________________________________                                          Host cell, Mouse L929 cells. Cells were not induced by NDV.              

The results show that the expression of a target gene (such as a genes encoding an interleukin, an interferon (α, β and γ), a plasminogen activator, erythropoietin, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, insulin, human growth hormone or superoxide dismutase (or mutants of the human genes) can be augmented by IRF-1.

Target genes as mentioned above, such as interferon genes e.g. IFN-α, IFN-β, IFN-γ, IFN-omega and plasminogen activators e.g. t-PA, pro-urokinase or urokinase etc. can be expressed more efficiently also by including therefor promoters fused with various lengths of recognition sequences for IRF-1, e.g. AAGTGA.

For example the target genes can be introduced into various host cells, together with either intact IRF-1 or chimeric IRF-1 genes. By increasing the length of IRF-1 recognition site DNA e.g. by increasing the number of AAGTGA repeats and the expression level of the transcription factor a high-level expression of the target genes can be achieved.

For example the AAGTGA repeat sequences can be abutted to a suitable promoter such as IFN-β promoter or SV40 virus early promoter. A target gene e.g. a t-PA gene or iFN-β gene can be linked downstream of such. a promoter; the structure of such a constructed gene would be

(AAGTGA)_(x) (Promoter) (target gene e. g. t-PA gene).

Such a gene could then be introduced into and amplified in CHO cells e.g. CHO DXBII (dhfr-strain) cells (Urlaub and Chasin, Proc. Natl., Acad. Sci., USA, Vol. 77, pp 4216-4220, 1980) (e.g., see page 4216).

Ideally, as discussed above, a host cell will be chosen from a cell which has no or substantially no level of endogenous IRF-1 activity. The IRF-1 gene, preferably either with a strong promoter such as CMV promoter or an inducible promoter such as metallothionen gene promoter can be introduced into the various host cells in a conventional manner.

The IRF-1 gene can be co-introduced and amplified together with the target gene. Alternatively the IRF-1 gene and the target gene can be separately introduced into the host cell.

In such transfected cells, IRF-1 may be produced either constitutively (in the case of e.g. CMV promoter) or in an induced manner (in the case of e.g. the metallothionen promoter it is induced by divalent metals such as zinc). The expressed IRF-1 binds to the AAGTGA repeats and augments the distal target gene e.g. t-PA gene or IFN gene.

Such expression could be further augmented by virus e.g. NDV induction, as can be seen from Table 1, Experiment 2 such induction increases the activity of the IRF-1.

Mouse cDNA sequence which cross-hybridises with murine IRF-1 cDNA of Formula III

A mouse cDNA library was prepared by the procedure described above. The cDNA was synthesised by the standard procedure using the mouse L929 cell-derived mRNA and the cDNA was inserted into the λgtII vector by the standard procedure. The resulting μgtII library was then screened to isolate cDNA clones whose inserts cross-hybridize with the murine IRF-1 cDNA described above, as follows:

Nitrocellulose filters containing the phage plaque DNAs were incubated in the following stages

(1) in 3×SCC at 65° C. for 30 minutes, followed by

(2) 60 minutes incubation in 3×SSC containing Denhart's solution (0.2% bovine serum albumin, 0.2% Ficoll, 0.2% polyvinylpyrrolidone 25), followed by

(3) a pre-hybridization step consisting of incubation for 12 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 1M NaCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 10 mM EDTA, 0.1% SDS, 50 μg/ml single stranded carrier DNA (e.g. salmon sperm DNA) and Denhart's solution and

(4) the stage 3 incubation was repeated but including ³² p-labeled murine IRF-1 cDNA as a probe. This cDNA probe was prepared as the EcoRI cleaved insert from λ-L-28-8 and translated by the Multiprime labeling system (see above). The incubation was carried out at 65° C. for 12 hours.

The filters were then washed, rinsed briefly in 2×SCC solution and then washed in 3×SCC solution containing 0.1% SDS for 30 minutes at 65° C. This procedure was twice repeated.

One of the positive clones, designated pHH-45 was selected and was revealed to contain cDNA covering only part of a coding sequence for an IRF.

The cDNA insert in PHH-45 was therefore isolated and used to screen clones containing larger inserts as described above for the preparation of pIRF-L under the heading "Structure of the cDNA encoding murine IRF-1".

Of the positive clones identified the one designated pIRF2-5 was selected and characterised using the procedure previously described for murine IRF-1. The complete hybridizing cDNA sequence is shown in formula IVa and the amino acid sequence of the corresponding IRF protein is shown in formula VIII.

Plasmid pIRF 2-5 was transfected into E.coli MC 1061/p3 which was deposited as E.coli at the FRI under the Budapest Treaty on 22 Nov. 1988 under No. FERM BP-2157.

cDNA from the yeast genome which hybridizes with human IRF-1 cDNA sequence

Yeast DNA was prepared by the standard procedure and digested with EcoRI. 5 μg of the digested DNA was loaded onto 0.8% agarose gel and subjected to electrophoresis and DNA blotting by standard procedures.

The blotted filter was treated exactly as described in the preceding example for isolating mouse DNA which hybridizes with murine IRF-1, except as follows:

In step (3) the incubation temperature was 55° C. and in step (4) the incubation was also carried out at 55° C. and the radioactive probe was the human IRF-1 cDNA isolated from pHIRF31 by XhoI digestion of the plasmid, this probe being labeled as described in the preceding example for murine IRF-1. The filter was washed at 55° C. in 2×SSC. The positive clones were identified by autoradiography (see FIGS. 9A and 9B).

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We claim:
 1. An isolated DNA molecule, wherein said molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence, wherein said nucleic acid sequence:(1) encodes an IRF-1 protein(a) that binds to a first recognition sequence (AAGTGA)₄ ; and (b) that binds to a second recognition sequence at bases -64 to -100 of the human IFN-β gene; wherein said binding in steps (a) and (b) augments transcription of a coding sequence operably linked to a promoter that contains said first or second recognition sequence; and (2) wherein said nucleic acid sequence hybridizes to the antisense sequence of a DNA selected from the group consisting of the coding sequences: ##STR97## when the hybridization is performed at 65° degrees for 20 hours in a medium consisting essentially of 1M NaCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 10 mM EDTA, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.2% ficoll, 0.2% polyvinylpyrrolidone, 0.2% bovine serum albumin, 50 μg/ml E. coli DNA, said nucleic acid sequence and said antisense sequence.
 2. The DNA molecule of claim 1 wherein said IRF-1 is a human IRF-1.
 3. An isolated DNA molecule encoding human IRF-1, having the nucleic acid sequence:

    __________________________________________________________________________      10 20 30 40 50                                                                ATGCCCATCACTTGGATGCGCATGAGACCCTGGCTAGAGATGCAGATTAA                              60 70 80 90100                                                                TTCCAACCAAATCCCGGGGCTCATCTGGATTAATAAAGAGGAGATGATCT                             110120130140150                                                                TGGAGATCCCATGGAAGCATGCTGCCAAGCATGGCTGGGACATCAACAAG                             160170180190200                                                                GATGCCTGTTTGTTCCGGAGCTGGGCCATTCACACAGGCCGATACAAAGC                             210220230240250                                                                AGGGGAAAAGGAGCCAGATCCCAAGACGTGGAAGGCCAACTTTCGCTGTG                             260270280290300                                                                CCATGAACTCCCTGCCAGATATCGAGGAGGTGAAAGACCAGAGCAGGAAC                             310320340340350                                                                AAGGGCAGCTCAGCTGTGCGAGTGTACCGGATGCTTCCACCTCTCACCAA                             360370380390400                                                                GAACCAGAGAAAAGAAAGAAAGTCGAAGTCCAGCCGAGATGCTAAGAGCA                             410420430440450                                                                AGGCCAAGAGGAAGTCATGTGGGGATTCCAGCCCTGATACCTTCTCTGAT                             460470480490500                                                                GGACTCAGCAGCTCCACTCTGCCTGATGACCACAGCAGCTACACAGTTCC                             510520530540550                                                                AGGCTACATGCAGGACTTGGAGGTGGAGCAGGCCCTGACTCCAGCACTGT                             560570580590600                                                                CGCCATGTGCTGTCAGCAGCACTCTCCCCGACTGGCACATCCCAGTGGAA                             610620630640650                                                                GTTGTGCCGGACAGCACCAGTGATCTGTACAACTTCCAGGTGTCACCCAT                             660670680690700                                                                GCCCTCCATCTCTGAAGCTACAACAGATGAGGATGAGGAAGGGAAATTAC                             710720730740750                                                                CTGAGGACATCATGAAGCTCTTGGAGCAGTCGGAGTGGCAGCCAACAAAC                             760770780790800                                                                GTGGATGGGAAGGGGTACCTACTCAATGAACCTGGAGTCCAGCCCACCTC                             810820830840850                                                                TGTCTATGGAGACTTTAGCTGTAAGGAGGAGCCAGAAATTGACAGCCCAG                             860870880890900                                                                GGGGGGATATTGGGCTGAGTCTACAGCGTGTCTTCACAGATCTGAAGAAC                             910920930940950                                                                ATGGATGCCACCTGGCTGGACAGCCTGCTGACCCCAGTCCGGTTGCCCTC                             960970                                                                         CATCCAGGCCATTCCCTGTGCACCG                                                      __________________________________________________________________________

or a fragment thereof, wherein said fragment encodes a protein (a) that binds to a first recognition sequence (AAGTGA)₄ ; and (b) that binds to a second recognition sequence at bases -64 to -100 of the human IFN-β gene;wherein said binding in steps (a) and (b) augments transcription of a coding sequence that is operably linked to a promoter that contains said first or second recognition sequence when the protein encoded by said fragment provides the IRF-1 transcriptional activation domain or is operably linked to the transcriptional activation domain of yeast GAL4.
 4. An isolated DNA molecule encoding human IRF-1, having the nucleic acid sequence comprising upstream and downstream flanking sequences and wherein said nucleic acid sequence and said upstream and downstream flanking sequences have the sequence:

    __________________________________________________________________________     CGAGCCCCGCCGAACCGAGGCCACCCGGAGCCGTGCCCAGTCCACGC                                CGGCCGTGCCCGGCGGCCTTAAGAACCAGGCAACCACTGCCTTCTTCCCT                             CTTCCACTCGGAGTCGCGCTTCGCGCGCCCTCACTGCAGCCCCTGCGTCG                             CCGGGACCCTCGCGCGCGACCAGCCGAATCGCTCCTGCAGCAGAGCCAAC                              10 20 30 40 50                                                                ATGCCCATCACTTGGATGCGCATGAGACCCTGGCTAGAGATGCAGATTAA                              60 70 80 90100                                                                TTCCAACCAAATCCCGGGGCTCATCTGGATTAATAAAGAGGAGATGATCT                             110120130140150                                                                TGGAGATCCCATGGAAGCATGCTGCCAAGCATGGCTGGGACATCAACAAG                             160170180190200                                                                GATGCCTGTTTGTTCCGGAGCTGGGCCATTCACACAGGCCGATACAAAGC                             210220230240250                                                                AGGGGAAAAGGAGCCAGATCCCAAGACGTGGAAGGCCAACTTTCGCTGTG                             260270280290300                                                                CCATGAACTCCCTGCCAGATATCGAGGAGGTGAAAGACCAGAGCAGGAAC                             310320340340350                                                                AAGGGCAGCTCAGCTGTGCGAGTGTACCGGATGCTTCCACCTCTCACCAA                             360370380390400                                                                GAACCAGAGAAAAGAAAGAAAGTCGAAGTCCAGCCGAGATGCTAAGAGCA                             410420430440450                                                                AGGCCAAGAGGAAGTCATGTGGGGATTCCAGCCCTGATACCTTCTCTGAT                             460470480490500                                                                GGACTCAGCAGCTCCACTCTGCCTGATGACCACAGCAGCTACACAGTTCC                             510520530540550                                                                AGGCTACATGCAGGACTTGGAGGTGGAGCAGGCCCTGACTCCAGCACTGT                             560570580590600                                                                CGCCATGTGCTGTCAGCAGCACTCTCCCCGACTGGCACATCCCAGTGGAA                             610620630640650                                                                GTTGTGCCGGACAGCACCAGTGATCTGTACAACTTCCAGGTGTCACCCAT                             660670680690700                                                                GCCCTCCATCTCTGAAGCTACAACAGATGAGGATGAGGAAGGGAAATTAC                             710720730740750                                                                CTGAGGACATCATGAAGCTCTTGGAGCAGTCGGAGTGGCAGCCAACAAAC                             760770780790800                                                                GTGGATGGGAAGGGGTACCTACTCAATGAACCTGGAGTCCAGCCCACCTC                             810820830840850                                                                TGTCTATGGAGACTTTAGCTGTAAGGAGGAGCCAGAAATTGACAGCCCAG                             860870880890900                                                                GGGGGGATATTGGGCTGAGTCTACAGCGTGTCTTCACAGATCTGAAGAAC                             910920930940950                                                                ATGGATGCCACCTGGCTGGACAGCCTGCTGACCCCAGTCCGGTTGCCCTC                             960970                                                                         CATCCAGGCCATTCCCTGTGCACCGTAGCAGGGCCCCTGGGCCCCTCTTA                             TTCCTCTAGGCAAGCAGGACCTGGCATCATGGTGGATATGGTGCAGAGAA                             GCTGGACTTCTGTGGGCCCCTCAACAGCCAAGTGTGACCCCACTGCCAAG                             TGGGGATGGGCCTCCCTCCTTGGGTCATTGACCTCTCAGGGCCTGGCAGG                             CCAGTGTCTGGGTTTTTCTTGTGGTGTAAAGCTGGCCCTGCCTCCTGGGA                             AGATGAGGTTCTGAGACCAGTGTATCAGGTCAGGGACTTGGACAGGAGTC                             AGTGTCTGGCTTTTTCCTCTGAGCCCAGCTGCCTGGAGAGGGTCTCGCTG                             TCACTGGCTGGCTCCTAGGGGAACAGACCAGTGACCCCAGAAAAGCATAA                             CACCAATCCCAGGGCTGGCTCTGCACTAAGAGAAAATTGCACTAAATGAA                             TCTCGTTCCAAAGAACTACCCCTTTTCAGCTGAGCCCTGGGGACTGTTCC                             AAAGCCAGTGAATGTGAAGGAAAGTGGGGTCCTTCGGGGCAATGCTCCCT                             CAGCCTCAGAGGAGCTCTACCCTGCTCCCTGCTTTGGCTGAGGGGCTTGG                             GAAAAAAACTTGGCACTTTTTCGTGTGGATCTTGCCACATTTCTGATCAG                             AGGTGTACACTAACATTTCCCCCGAGCTCTTGGCCTTTGCATTTATTTAT                             ACAGTGCCTTGCTCGGGGCCCACCACCCCCTCAAGCCCCAGCAGCCCTCA                             ACAGGCCCAGGGAGGGAAGTGTGAGCGCCTTGGTATGACTTAAAATTGGA                             AATGTCATCTAACCATTAAGTCATGTGTGAACACATAAGGACGTGTGTAA                             ATATGTACATTTGTCTTTTTATAAAAAGTAAAATTGTT                                         __________________________________________________________________________

or a fragment thereof, wherein said fragment encodes a protein (a) that binds to a first recognition sequence (AAGTGA)₄ ; and (b) that binds to a second recognition sequence at bases -64 to -100 of the human IFN-β gene;wherein said binding in steps (a) and (b) augments transcription of a coding sequence that is operably linked to a promoter that contains said first or second recognition sequence when the protein encoded by said fragment provides the IRF-1 transcriptional activation domain or is operably linked to the transcriptional activation domain of yeast GAL4.
 5. The isolated DNA molecule of claim 1, wherein said IRF-1 is a mouse IRF-1.
 6. An isolated DNA molecule encoding mouse IRF-1, having the nucleic acid sequence:

    __________________________________________________________________________     ATG CCA ATC ACT CGA ATG CGG ATG AGA CCC TGG CTA GAG ATG CAG ATT                AAT TCC AAC CAA ATC CCA GGG CTG ATC TGG ATC AAT AAA GAA GAG ATG                ATC TTC CAG ATT CCA TGG AAG CAC GCT OCT AAG CAC GGC TGG GAC ATC                AAC AAG GAT GCC TGT CTG TTC CGG AGC TGG GCC ATT CAC ACA GGC CGA                TAC AAA GCA GGA GAA AAA GAG CCA GAT CCC AAG ACA TGG AAG GCA AAC                TTC CGT TGT GCC ATG AAC TCC CTG CCA GAC ATC GAG GAA GTG AAG GAT                CAG AGT AGG AAC AAG GGC AGC TCT GCT GTG CGG GTG TAC CGG ATG CTG                CCA CCC CTC ACC AGG AAC CAG AGG AAA GAG AGA AAG TCC AAG TCC AGC                CGA GAC ACT AAG AGC AAA ACC AAG AGG AAG CTG TGT GGA GAT GTT AGC                CCG GAC ACT TTC TCT dAT GGA CTC AGC AGC TCT ACC CTA CCT GAT GAC                CAC AGC AGT TAC ACC ACT CAG GGC TAC CTG GGT CAG GAC TTG GAT ATG                GAA AGG GAC ATA ACT CCA GCA CTG TCA CCG TGT GTC GTC AGC AGC AGT                CTC TCT GAG TGG CAT ATG CAG ATG GAC ATT ATA CCA GAT AGC ACC ACT                GAT CTG TAT AAC CTA CAG GTG TCA CCC ATG CCT TCC ACC TCC GAA GCC                GCA ACA GAC GAG GAT GAG GAA GGG AAG ATA GCC GAA GAC CTT ATG AAG                CTC TTT GAA CAG TCT GAG TGG CAG CCG ACA CAC ATC GAT GGC AAG GGA                TAC TTG CTC AAT GAG CCA GGG ACC CAG CTC TCT TCT GTC TAT GGA GAC                TTC AGC TGC AAA GAG GAA CCA GAG ATT GAC AGC CCT CGA GGG GAC ATT                GGG ATA GGC ATA CAA CAT GTC TTC ACG GAG ATG AAG AAT ATG GAC TCC                ATC ATG TGG ATG GAC AGC CTG CTG GGC AAC TCT GTG AGG CTG CCG CCC                TCT ATT CAG GCC ATT CCT TGT GCA CCA TAG                                        __________________________________________________________________________

or a fragment thereof, wherein said fragment encodes a protein (a) that binds to a first recognition sequence (AAGTGA)₄ ; and (b) that binds to a second recognition sequence at bases -64 to -100 of the human IFN-β gene;wherein said binding in steps (a) and (b) augments transcription of a coding sequence that is operably linked to a promoter that contains said first or second recognition sequence when the protein encoded by said fragment provides the IRF-1 transcriptional activation domain or is operably linked to the transcriptional activation domain of yeast GAL4.
 7. An isolated DNA molecule encoding mouse IRF-1, having the nucleic acid sequence comprising upstream and downstream flanking sequences and wherein said nucleic acid sequence and said upstream and downstream flanking sequences have the sequence:

    __________________________________________________________________________       1GGACGTGCTTTCACAGTCTAAGCCGAACCGAACCGAACCGAACCGAACCGA-ACCGGGCC                 60GAGTTGCGCCGAGGTCAGCCGAGGTGGCCAGAGGACCCCAGCATCTCGGGCATCTTTCG                  119CTTCGTGCGCGCTCGCGTACCTACACCGCAACTCCGTGCCTCGCTCTCCGGCACCCTC                  178TGCGAATCGCTCCTGCAGCAAAGCCACCATGCCAATCACTCGAATGCGG                           227ATGAGACCCTGGCTAGAGATGCAGATTAATTCCAACCAAATCCCA                               272GGGCTGATCTGGATCAATAAAGAAGAGATGATCTTCCAGATTCCA                               317TGGAAGCACGCTGCTAAGCACGGCTGGGACATCAACAAGGATGCC                               362TGTCTGTTCCGGAGCTGGGCCATTCACACAGGCCGATACAAAGCA                               407GGAGAAAAAGAGCCAGATCCCAAGACATGGAAGGCAAACTTCCGT                               452TGTGCCATGAACTCCCTGCCAGACATCGAGGAAGTGAAGGATCAG                               497AGTAGGAACAAGGGCAGCTCTGCTGTGCCGGTGTACCGGATGCTG                               542CCACCCCTCACCAGGAACCAGAGGAAAGAGAGAAAGTCCAAGTCC                               587AGCCGAGACACTAAGAGCAAAACCAAGAGGAAGCTGTGTGGAGAT                               632GTTAGCCCGGACACTTTCTCTGATGGACTCAGCAGCTCTACCCTA                               677CCTGATGACCACAGCAGTTACACCACTCAGGGCTACCTGGGTCAG                               722GACTTGGATATGGAAAGGGACATAACTCCAGCACTGTCACCGTGT                               767GTCGTCAGCAGCAGTCTCTCTGAGTGGCATATGCAGATGGACATT                               812ATACCAGATAGCACCACTGATCTGTATAACCTACAGGTGTCACCC                               857ATGCCTTCCACCTCCGAAGCCGCAACAGACGAGGATGAGGAAGGG                               902AAGATAGCCGAAGACCTTATGAAGCTCTTTGAACAGTCTGAGTGG                               947CAGCCGACACACATCGATGCCAAGGGATACTTGCTCAATGAGCCA                               992GGGACCCAGCTCTCTTCTGTCTATGGAGACTTCAGCTGCAAAGAG                              1037GAACCACAGATTGACAGCCCTCGAGGGGACATTGGGATAGGCATA                              1082CAACATGTCTTCACGGAGATGAAGAATATGGACTCCATCATGTGG                              1127ATGGACAGCCTGCTGGGCAACTCTGTGAGGCTGCCGCCCTCTATT                              1172CAGGCCATTCCTTGTGCACCATAGTTTGGGTCTCTGACCCGTTCTTGCCC                         1222TCCTGAGTGAGTTAGGCCTTGGCATCATGGTGGCTGTGAACAAAAAAAGCTAGACTCC                 1281TGTGGGCCCCTTGACACATGGCAAAGCATAGTCCCACTGCAAACAGGGGACCTCCTCC                 1340TTGGGTCAGTGGGCTCTCAGGGCTTAGGAGGCAGAGTCTGAGTTTTCTTGTGAGGTGAA                1399GCTGGCCCTGACTCCTAGGAAGATGGATTGGGGGGTCTGAGGTGTAAGGCAAGGCCAT                 1458GGACAGGAGTCTCTTCTAGCTTTTTAAAAGCCTTGTTGCATAGAGAGGGTCTTATCGC                 1517TGGGCTGGCCCTGAGGGGAATAGACCAGCGCCCACAGAAGAGCATAGCACTGGCCCTAG                1576AGCTGGCTCTGTACTAGGAGACATTGCACTAAATGAGTCCTATTCCCAAAGAACTGCT                 1635GCCCTTCCCAACCGAGCCCTGGGATGGTTCCCAAGCCAGTGAAATGTGAAGGGAAAAAA                1694AATGGGGTCCTGTGAAGGTTGGCTCCCTTAGCCTCAGAGGGAATCTGCCTCACTACCTG                1753CTCCAGCTGTGGGGCTCAGGAAAAAAAATGGCACTTTCTCTGTGGACTTTGCCACATT                 1812TCTGATCAGAGGTGTACACTAACATTTCTCCCCAGTCTAGGCCTTTGTTTATTTATA                  1871TAGTGCCTTGCCTGGTGCCTGCTGTCTCCTCAGCCTTGGCAGTCCTCAGCAGGCCCA                  1930GGAAAAGGGGGGTTGTGAGCGCCTTGGCGTGACTCTTGACTATCTATTAGAAACGCCAC                1989CTAACTGCTAAATGGTGTTTGGTCATGTGGTGGACCTGTGTAAATATGTATATTTGTCT                2048TTTTATAAAAATTTAAGTTGTTTACAAAAAAAAAA2082                                    __________________________________________________________________________

or a fragment thereof, wherein said fragment encodes a protein (a) that binds to a first recognition sequence (AAGTGA)₄ ; and (b) that binds to a second recognition sequence at bases -64 to -100 of the human IFN-β gene;wherein said binding in steps (a) and (b) augments transcription of a coding sequence that is operably linked to a promoter that contains said first or second recognition sequence when the protein encoded by said fragment provides the IRF-1 transcriptional activation domain or is operably linked to the transcriptional activation domain of yeast GAL4.
 8. An isolated DNA molecule, having a multimer of tandemly repeated AAGTGA sequences, to allow IRF-1 binding to said repeated AAGTGA sequences, and having an expressible target gene, wherein said repeated AAGTGA sequences are operably linked to the promoter of said target gene.
 9. The isolated DNA molecule of claim 8, wherein said IRF-1 target gene encodes a cytokine or a plasminogen activator.
 10. An isolated DNA molecule having the sequence of any of formula I, formula II, formula III, formula IV, or formula V.
 11. An isolated DNA molecule having the complementary sequence of any of formula I, formula II, formula III, formula IV, or formula V.
 12. An isolated DNA molecule having DNA encoding the amino acid sequence of formula VI or formula VII.
 13. An isolated DNA molecule having DNA encoding the complement of the sequence of claim
 12. 14. An isolated DNA molecule having bases -1 to -299 of formula V.
 15. An isolated DNA molecule comprising the sequence of any of formula I, formula II, formula III, formula IV, or formula V.
 16. An isolated DNA molecule comprising the complementary sequence of any of formula I, formula II, formula III, formula IV, or formula V.
 17. An isolated DNA molecule comprising DNA encoding the amino acid sequence of formula VI or formula VII.
 18. An isolated DNA molecule comprising DNA encoding the complement of the sequence of claim
 17. 19. An isolated DNA molecule comprising DNA encoding the complement of a sequence, said sequence:(1) encoding an IRF- 1 activator protein(a) that binds to a first recognition sequence (AAGTGA)₄ ; and (b) that binds to a second recognition sequence at bases -64 to -100 of the human IFN-β gene; wherein said binding in steps (a) and (b) augments transcription of a coding sequence operably linked to a promoter that contains said first or second recognition sequence; and (2) wherein said nucleic acid sequence hybridizes to the antisense sequence of a DNA selected from the group consisting of the coding sequences:

    __________________________________________________________________________     ATGCCCATCACTTGGATGCGCATGAGACCCTGGCTAGAGATGCAGATTAA                             TTCCAACCAAATCCCGGGGCTCATCTGGATTAATAAAGAGGAGATGATCT                             TGGAGATCCCATGGAAGCATGCTGCCAAGCATGGCTGGGACATCAACAAG                             GATGCCTGTTTGTTCCGGAGCTGGGCCATTCAcAcAGGCCGATACAAACC                             AGGGGAAAAGGAGCCAGATCCCAAGACGTGGAAGGCCAACTTTCGCTGTG                             CCATGAACTCCCTGCCAGATATCGAGGAGGTGAAAGACCAGAGCAGGAAC                             AAGGGCAGCTCAGCTGTGCGAGTGTACCGGATGCTTCCACCTCTCACCAA                             GAACCAGAGAAAAGAAAGAAAGTCGAAGTCCAGCCGAGATGCTAAGAGCA                             AGGCCAAGAGGAAGTCATGTGGGGATTCCAGCCCTGATACCTTCTCTGAT                             GGACTCAGCAGCTCCACTCTGCCTGATGACCACAGCAGCTACACAGTTCC                             AGGCTACATGCAGGACTTGGAGGTGGAGCAGGCCCTGACTCCAGCACTGT                             CGCCATGTGCTGTCAGCAGCACTCTCCCCGACTGGCACATCCCAGTGGAA                             GTTGTGCCGGACAGCACCAGTGATCTGTACAACTTCCAGGTGTCACCCAT                             GCCCTCCATCTCTGAAGCTACAACAGATGAGGATGAGGAAGGGAAATTAC                             CTGAGGACATCATGAAGCTCTTGGAGCAGTCGGAGTGGCAGCCAACAAAC                             GTGGATGGGAAGGGGTACCTACTCAATGAACCTGAGTCCAGCCCACCTC                              TGTCTATGGAGACTTTAGCTGTAAGGAGGAGCCAGAAATTGACAGCCCAG                             GGGGGGATATTGGGCTGAGTCTACAGCGTGTCTTCACAGATCTGAAGAAC                             ATGGATGCCACCTGGCTGGACAGCCTGCTGACCCCAGTCCGGTTGCCCTC                             CATCCAGGCCATTCCCTGTGCACCG                                                      and                                                                            ATGCCAATCACTCGAATGCGGATGAGACCCTGGCTAGAGATGCAGATT                               AATTCCAACCAAATCCCAGGGCTGATCTGGATCAATAAAGAAGAGATG                               ATCTTCCAGATTCCATGGAAGCACGCTGCTAAGCACGGCTGGGACATC                               AACAAGGATGCCTGTCTGTTCCGGAGCTGGGCCATTCACACAGGCCGA                               TACAAAGCAGGAGAAAAAGAGCCAGATCCCAAGACATGGAAGGCAAAC                               TTCCGTTGTGCCATGAACTCCCTGCCAGACATCGAGGAAGTGAAGGAT                               CAGAGTAGGAACAAGGGCAGCTCTGCTGTGCGGGTGTACCGGATGCTG                               CCACCCCTCACCAGGAACCAGAGGAAAGAGAGAAAGTCCAAGTCCAGC                               CGAGACACTAAGAGCAAAACCAAGAGGAAGCTGTGTGGAGATGTTAGC                               CCGGACACTTTCTCTGATGGACTCAGCAGCTCTACCCTACCTGATGAC                               CACAGCAGTTACACCACTCAGGGCTACCTGGGTCAGGACTTGGATATG                               GAAAGGGACATAACTCCAGCACTGTCACCGTGTGTCGTCAGCAGCAGT                               CTCTCTGAGTGGCATATGCAGATGGACATTATACCAGATAGCACCACT                               GATCTGTATAACCTACAGGTGTCACCCATGCCTTCCACCTCCGAAGCC                               GCAACAGACGAGGATGAGGAAGGGAAGATAGCCGAAGACCTTATGAAG                               CTCTTTGAACAGTCTGAGTGGCAGCCGACACACATCGATGGCAAGGGA                               TACTTGCTCAATGAGCCAGGGACCCAGCTCTCTTCTCTCTATGGAGAC                               TTCAGCTGCAAAGAGGAACCAGAGATTGACAGCCCTCGAGGGGACATT                               GGGATAGGCATACAACATGTCTTCACGGAGATGAAGAATATGGACTCC                               ATCATGTGGATGGACAGCCTGCTGGGCAACTCTGTGAGGCTGCCGCCC                               TCTATTCAGGCCATTCCTTGTGCACCATAG                                                 __________________________________________________________________________

when the hybridization is performed at 65° degrees for 20 hours in a medium consisting essentially of 1M NaCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 10 mM EDTA, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.2% ficoll, 0.2% polyvinylpyrrolidone, 0.2% bovine serum albumin, 50 μg/ml E. coli DNA, said nucleic acid sequence and said antisense sequence.
 20. An isolated DNA molecule comprising bases -1 to bases -299 of formula V.
 21. An isolated DNA molecule wherein said construct consists essentially of a nucleic acid sequence, and wherein said nucleic acid sequence:(1) encodes an IRF-1 polypeptide,(a) that binds to a first recognition sequence (AAGTGA)₄ ; and (b) that binds to a second recognition sequence at bases -64 to -100 of the human IFN-β gene; wherein said binding in steps (a) and (b) augments transcription of a coding sequence operably linked to a promoter that contains said first or second recognition sequence; and (2) wherein said nucleic acid sequence hybridizes to the antisense sequence of DNA selected from the group consisting of the coding sequence of formula I, II, III, and IV, when hybridization is performed at 65° degrees for 20 hours in a medium consisting essentially of 1M NaCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 10 mM EDTA, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.2% ficoll, 0.2% polyvinylpyrrolidone, 0.2% bovine serum albumin, 50 μg/ml E. coli DNA, said nucleic acid sequence and said antisense sequence.
 22. An isolated DNA molecule encoding the complement of the nucleic acid sequence of claim
 21. 23. The isolated DNA molecule construct of any one of claims 1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, and 22 wherein said construct further comprises a promoter operably linked to said nucleic acid sequence encoding said IRF protein.
 24. The isolated DNA molecule of claim 23, wherein said promoter is a constitutive promoter.
 25. The isolated DNA molecule of claim 23, wherein said promoter is an inducible promoter.
 26. The isolated DNA molecule according to claim 23 wherein said molecule further comprises a promoter and regulator sequence operably linked to said nucleic acid sequence encoding said IRF protein, and wherein said promoter and regulator sequence comprise the sequence: ##STR98## or a functional promoter fragment of said sequence thereof.
 27. The isolated DNA molecule of claim 23, wherein said molecule further comprises a target gene whose transcription is regulated by he IRF-1 protein.
 28. The isolated DNA molecule of claim 27, wherein the promoter of said target gene comprises an IRF-1 binding site operably linked to said promoter, and wherein said IRF-1 binding site contains multimer of tandemly repeated AAGTGA sequences to allow IRF-1 binding to said binding site in a manner that augments transcription of said target gene.
 29. The isolated DNA molecule of claim 27, wherein said target gene encodes a cytokine or a plasminogen activator.
 30. The isolated DNA molecule of claim 23, wherein said promoter is the native IRF promoter and is operably linked to said nucleic acid sequence encoding a native IRF protein.
 31. The isolated DNA molecule of claim 23, wherein said promoter is not the native IRF promoter and is operably linked to said nucleic acid sequence encoding a native IRF protein.
 32. The isolated DNA molecule of any one of claims 10-22, wherein said DNA is double-stranded.
 33. The isolated DNA molecule of any of claims 10-22, wherein said DNA is single-stranded.
 34. An isolated DNA molecule comprising the IRF-I promoter and regulator sequence, said promoter and regulator sequence having the sequence:

    __________________________________________________________________________     CTGCAGAAAGAGGGGGACGGTCTCGGCTTTCCAAGACAGGCAAGGGGG                               CAGGGGAGTGGAGTGGAGCAAGGGGCGGGCCCGCGGTAGCCCCGGGGCGGTGGCGCGG                     GCCCGAGGGGGTGGGGAGCACAGCTGCCTTGTACTTCCCCTTCGCCGCTTAGCTCTAC                     AACAGCCTGATTTCCCCGAAATGATGAGGCCGAGTGGGCCAATGGGCGCGCAGGAGCG                     GCGCGGCGGGGGCGTGGCCGAGTCCGGGCCGGGGAATCCCGCTAAGTGTTTAGATTTC                     TTCGCGGCGCCGCGGACTCGCCAGTGCGCACCACTCCTTCGTCGAGGTAGGACGTGCT                     TTCACAGTCTAAGCCGAACCGAACCGAACCGAACCGAACCGAACCGGGCCGAGTTGCG                     CCGAGGTCAGCCGAGGTGGCCAGAGGACCCCAGCATCTCGGGCATCTTTCGCTTCGTG                     CGCGCATCGCGTACCTACACCGCAACTCCGTGCCTCGCTCTCCGGCACCCTCTGCGAA                     TCGCTCCTGCAG.                                                                  __________________________________________________________________________


35. An isolated DNA molecule comprising the IRF-I promoter sequence, said promoter sequence having the sequence:

    __________________________________________________________________________     CTGCAGAAAGAGGGGGACGGTCTCGGCTTTCCAAGACAGGCAAGGGGG                               CAGGGGAGTGGAGTGGAGCAAGGGGCGGGCCCGCGGTAGCCCCGGGGCGGTGGCGCGG                     GCCCGAGGGGGTGGGGAGCACAGCTGCCTTGTACTTCCCCTTCGCCGCTTAGCTCTAC                     AACAGCCTGATTTCCCCGAAATGATGAGGCCGAGTGGGCCAATGGGCGCGCAGGAGCG                     GCGCGGCGGGGGCGTGGCCGAGTCCGGGCCGGGGAATCCCGCTAAGTGTTTAGATTTC                     TTCGCGGCGCCGCGGACTC.                                                           __________________________________________________________________________


36. An isolated DNA molecule encoding an IRF-1 protein, said DNA molecule prepared by a process comprising:(1) hybridizing a desired DNA molecule to the antisense sequence of formula I and formula III, wherein the hybridization is performed at 65° degrees for 20 hours in a medium consisting essentially of 1M NaCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 10 mM EDTA, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.2% ficoll, 0.2% polyvinylpyrrolidone, 0.2% bovine serum albumin, 50 μg/ml E. coli DNA, said desired DNA molecule and said antisense sequence; (2) selecting those DNA molecules of said population that hybridize to said coding sequence; (3) expressing the protein encoded by said selected DNA molecules of part (2); (4) binding the expressed protein of part (3) to(a) a first recognition sequence (AAGTGA)₄ ; or to (b) a second recognition sequence at bases minus 64 to minus 100 of the human IFN-β gene; (5) selecting DNA molecules of part (2) that encode a protein that binds to said recognition sequence as in part (4) wherein said binding of part (4) augments transcription of a coding sequence operably linked to a promoter that contains said first or second recognition sequence.
 37. A method of cloning a DNA molecule that encodes an IRF-1 protein, said method comprising:(1) hybridizing a desired DNA molecule to the antisense sequence of formula I and formula III, wherein the hybridization is performed at 65° degrees for 20 hours in a medium consisting essentially of 1M NaCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 10 mM EDTA, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.2% ficoll, 0.2% polyvinylpyrrolidone, 0.2% bovine serum albumin, 50 μg/ml E. coli DNA, said desired DNA molecule and said antisense sequence; (2) selecting those DNA molecules of said population that hybridize to said coding sequence; (3) expressing the protein encoded by said selected DNA molecules of part (2); (4) binding the expressed protein of part (3) to(a) a first recognition sequence (AAGTGA)₄ ; or to (b) a second recognition sequence at bases minus 64 to minus 100 of the human IFN-β gene; (5) selecting those DNAs that encode a protein as in part (4) wherein said binding of part (4) augments transcription of a coding sequence operably linked to a promoter that contains said first or second recognition sequence; and (6) cloning said DNA of part (5). 